5 Planning Group Members Out Over Blackwater In California

[Hissyspit]

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/29347

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20071212-0112-bn12potrero.html

5 planning group members out over Blackwater

By Anne Krueger
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

1:12 a.m. December 12, 2007

EAST COUNTY – Five members of the Potrero planning group were voted off the panel Tuesday night in a recall election that served as a symbolic referendum on a controversial training camp proposed by Blackwater Worldwide. The five incumbents all supported the proposed facility.

As the five were ousted, five candidates on an anti-Blackwater slate were voted in to replace the incumbents on the rural town's planning group.

“It should send a loud and clear message that Potrero does not want Blackwater in the community,” said Carl Meyer, a leader in the recall campaign and an anti-Blackwater candidate. The incumbents will leave office next month.

The Blackwater proposal has divided the tiny community near the U.S.-Mexico border in East County. Many say the law enforcement training camp would result in more noise and traffic, while a smaller contingent of supporters says it would bring jobs and a greater police presence.

The vote received national attention because of the underlying political debate about Blackwater's role as a military contractor in Iraq, particularly in light of the shooting deaths of 17 Iraqi civilians in September by Blackwater guards in Baghdad.

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[pennylane100]

1. The good guys win a rare victory.

[ghostdancers_way]

2. Blackwater would have had unlimited target practice on

undocumented workers and of course no legal recourse against
them for trying to kill them.

Duncan "I never met a brown person I could not hate"
Hunter would garner plenty of campaign financing from
Black"death"water in the East county.

Hurrah for the good guys, I lived in the East county about 15
miles North of them, glad to see someone standing up the the
wingnut fringe.

Ghostdancers_way

[jemsan]

3. This really doesn't mean much...

as the county board of supervisors have the final say...and they are as republican as they come.