Cleveland Park Citizens Association -- at it again

The DC Board of Ethics and Elections recently conducted a hearing regarding a petition for ANC 3 C candidate Gregory Hair to appear on the November Ballot. A 13 year resident of Cleveland Park, Mr. Hair is frustrated with the continued reactive and divisive activities routinely undertaken by the local ANC and neighborhood groups such as the Cleveland Park Citizens Association. As a result, Mr Hair gathered the necessary petition signatures from friends and neighbors in his Single Member District (ANC 3C 05) to appear on the November Ballot.

The process hit a bump on the road when a challenge was filed on his petition. Apparently George Idelson, doing the bidding for his pal Bruce Beckner, the current ANC Commissioner for ANC 3C 05, challenged the petition based on legibility of the signatures. The BOEE staff and Board ruled in favor of Mr. Hair.

This is not the first time Mr. Idelson has taken such action. Two years ago, Mr Idelson publicly called into question the integrity of a last minute write-in candidate for the same seat, claiming

I note that (the write-in candidate) has criticized Bruce Beckner for not being on the Cleveland Park listserv. That's a choice people can make, but as a courtesy, I am posting a message (see below) for Bruce. I note, too, that (the write-in candidate) is not a member of the Cleveland Park Citizens Association. That's also a matter of choice, but there is much to commend it for anyone who cares about our community. Long before there was an Historical Society or a listserv, the Cleveland Park Citizens Association worked to protect and improve the quality of life in Cleveland Park and the city at large.

Of course, in that case, Mr. Idelson was completely mistaken (not that membership in a neighborhood organization should be a litmus test for an ANC Candidate) as he had to post a correction. In addition to making this false claim, he willfully mispelled the candidates last name, lest a challenge be necessary after the election.

Is this appropriate, for the President of the CPCA to be defending the "honor" of ANC candidates? How is Mr. Hair supposed to react when Mr. Idelson moderates the ANC Candidate Forum on October 7th?

And people wonder why the ANCs and slanted Citizens Associations have little credibility when they claim the mantel of "great weight" before city agencies and the Council.