AD73: Anna Bryson Not a Spokesperson (Official or Informal) for Southern California Edison
By Ze’ev Wurman, Policy Adviser, Anna Bryson for State Assembly 2014
(This is the 18th in a series of blog posts “Setting the Record Straight on Anna Bryson”)
Anti-nuclear power activist Joe Holtzman (of Mission Viejo) complains in over-the-top language about Anna scores of times on the web – claiming Anna was a spokesperson for the Southern California Edison power company. Holtzman many times called her “a shill for Southern California Edison” and also said (4/21/14, 7/12/14) that she was “pimping” for the company. Even after the primary election, he called her (7/16/14) a utility-company “pig.”
Holtzman asserted (5/1/14) that Anna never missed “any Edison event.” [In fact, out of all Southern California Edison’s multitude of public events in the area, Anna did once go to one – a presentation on conservation (at the Marriott Laguna Cliffs), which was attended by most of the elected city officials in South Orange County.]
Holtzman even managed to convince blogger Art Pedroza (6/5/14) that Anna was under the control of Southern California Edison.
Nonetheless, Anna’s only deed pertaining to the company happened during the time of public debate on restarting the San Onofre power plant. One of Anna’s fellow school board members at Capistrano Unified School District proposed a resolution on the topic. Anna seconded a motion to table the resolution. The tabling of the resolution carried, 5-2.
Holtzman’s use of the terms “pimping” and “shill” suggests some kind of close relationship between Anna and Southern California Edison (beyond paying her household electric bills). But no such relationship exists. And Anna received no campaign donations from Southern California Edison.
For the multitude of Southern California Edison public events, see: http://newsroom.edison.com/releases.
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Ze’ev Wurman is an executive with a Silicon Valley software company and was a senior adviser in the U.S. Department of Education during the George W. Bush administration. He is one of the nation’s leading opponents of the Common Core national curriculum-content standards.