And the horse-trading begins

Rumor has it Paulette Hogan has cut a deal with Don Perata. She’s dropping out of the mayoral race in exchange for him giving her and Sanjiv Handa 5 minutes to speak on every agenda item at any Council or committee meeting that they attend. Councilmembers and staff are understandably freaking out, as this would lengthen council meetings by 2-3 hours. How’s that for public input?

Wither the Acorn prosecutions?

Remember what a big dog and pony show OPD put on when they rounded up The Edge’s nephew and others in the sweep of the Acorn project? I swear, didn’t they roll in their with tanks? You will recall that police had been mightily embarrassed in the Chauncey Bailey Project reportage, which included the fact that the YBMB raid was delayed because two cops were on a camping trip. Cops made a big deal about...

OPD: A little too choosy?

Rumor has it that former City Administrator Deborah Edgerly, who has been unemployed since her termination last year, was recently turned down for admission into Oakland’s police academy. According to her attorney, she is planning to sue, alleging that the agility test discriminated against her on the basis of her age and gender. City Attorney John Russo declined to comment, stating it was a violation of the City...

SPOTTED on Clay Street

Former Green Rebecca Kaplan may not have been fighting for a parking space, but she’s not the low-carbon diva she claims to be. One citizen caught her unloading her bicycle from a snazzy yellow Hummer a few blocks from City Hall. Pedal power, indeed.

POLITICAL PARTYING

A certain wannabe Oakland mayor hosted dinner for a dozen of his closest friends at one of Rockridge’s most exclusive restaurants last weekend. According to a political consultant who moonlights as a maitre d, The Don spent the entire remainder of the California Democratic Party’s election budget on some choice meats. The whole hog, that’s for sure.