Column: Glenn’s slander claims against Newport officials stay in small claims court

There’s never a dull moment in Newport or Costa Mesa politics.

The city of Newport Beach recently attempted to move the small claims slander lawsuit activist Mike Glenn initiated against Councilwoman Diane Dixon, City Clerk Leilani Brown and Assistant Clerk Jennifer Nelson to Superior Court.

Glenn emailed me this week, saying the city’s motion was denied.

“Thankfully, the Superior Court agreed that this is absolutely meritless,” he wrote.

Glenn alleges comments made at a council meeting, complaining the city prepared public documents he requested and didn’t pay for, defamed him. Dixon calls his legal action a “frivolous” waste of taxpayer dollars.

Looks like all parties are headed to the small claims court in the Harbor Justice Center, before the end of the year.

Who might run in Newport Beach?

Back in April I wrote about how 51-year Corona del Mar resident Joy Brenner was planning a run for office, should Newport Councilman Scott Peotter be recalled and a special election held. Brenner and former Planning Commissioner Mike Toerge were the only names being floated.

But then, in May, Brenner had a change of heart and hoped someone else would throw their hat in the ring.

That didn’t happen, and now as the October deadline for signatures to recall Peotter gets closer, Brenner is back in the race.

“You have to find the point in your life when you can devote yourself to this, and I’m at that point,” she said.

Brenner said that over the past few months she’s “reorganized her commitments,” and after much “thoughtful contemplation,” is now ready.

“For the last six months people have been urging me to run, and offering financial support, and that was a significant factor in my decision” she said.

Former Newport Mayor John Cox, Brenner’s boyfriend, is squarely in her corner.

“Joy’s passion for the city is endless ... as is her energy,” he said. “She has been active in the city since she was 16, and put her energy to great use on my 1980 campaign for City Council. While life on the council can be brutal, Joy is fearless and fair and will make a fantastic councilwoman.”

Brenner is gearing up now, putting an advisory board together and a campaign website is already live, though she can’t fundraise with it just yet.

But folks can sign up to be notified of her latest campaign updates and learn when they will be able to donate.

As Friends of the Corona del Mar Library chairwoman, Brenner says she’s worked with almost everyone on the current council and feels her presence there could initiate a change in “tone.”

Brenner’s entry could change the dynamic of the recall effort at this point.

I’ve spoken to some residents who were on the fence about signing the recall petition because they weren’t crazy about their choices: keep Peotter or replace him with Toerge.

Brenner’s well known in Corona del Mar and could have a broader demographic appeal as the only female candidate.

Feet to the Fire Forum?

Could we see a Feet to the Fire Forum for this recall race as it progresses?

I can’t say just yet, but what I can tell you is the F2F group, Daily Pilot Editor John Canalis, Voice of OC Publisher Norberto Santana Jr., Stu News Newport Publisher Tom Johnson and myself, got together a few weeks ago to start planning F2F 2018.

It promises to be our best season as we explore multi-media platforms with innovative concepts.

Will CMTV return as one of our media partners?

Readers may remember in 2016 I wrote about the council deciding not to air or let CMTV tape any candidate forums. The argument was there could be too many.

I disagreed.

Forums take a great deal of work to produce — I should know as F2F producer since 2010 — and have joked many times it’s like herding cats. A flood of forums is unlikely.

When I interviewed Costa Mesa Councilman Allan Mansoor last week about his run for mayor, we talked about F2F.

He agreed to appear in 2018 and said he’d support CMTV airing and taping the forum.

Mansoor brought the subject back to the council last week, suggesting further study and a policy is needed.

Mayor Katrina Foley, who says she never thought not airing or taping forums was a good idea, doesn’t believe there needs to be further study, since there are less than a handful of candidate forums within the city.

She plans on bringing this to a vote as early as November.

Foley supports partnering with local forums so residents learn about the candidates and their views.

“More access is always better,” she says.

Councilman John Stephens agrees.

As a challenger in the 2016 election, it was more difficult for candidates like him to get their message out without forums like F2F airing on CMTV.

Not airing forums certainly gave incumbents the advantage he says.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens.

BARBARA VENEZIA lives in Newport Beach. She can be reached at bvontv1@gmail.com.