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SCHMITZ FOR BRAINS
It was very unfair and misleading to suggest that former Congressman and Senator John Schmitz was somehow out of his mind regarding his 1972 defeat in his campaign for re-election to Congress (Anthony Pignataro's “Psychic Friends,” Feb. 8). I was his campaign manager for that run. The article fails to mention that the election (which was extremely close) was stolen from Schmitz by the illegal use of Orange County assets—and that the victorious Andrew Hinshaw, formerly county assessor, was prosecuted and sent to prison for the illegal activities of his campaign. Thus, it was not the “ravings of a bitter and perhaps unbalanced loser” who spoke with the FBI about criminal activity behind his defeat. My family was very close to the Schmitz family. The Schmitzes were godparents to one of my children. I also legally represented Schmitz. I never once heard of “psychic powers” being believed in by John Schmitz. Schmitz was a committed Catholic, yet he also failed to live up to his personal beliefs. Don't we all?
Finally, I also never heard of hidden ballots as an explanation for John Schmitz's defeat in 1972. Schmitz was an ardent anti-communist, and when Nixon sold out America and the right wing and went to China, Schmitz uttered the observation that was to be his undoing: “I no longer oppose Nixon's trip to China, only his return.” Nixon was thereafter a Schmitz-hater, and he moved heaven and earth to beat Schmitz. Why does Pignataro not imagine that Nixon, himself a “crook,” would not use illegal means to destroy his enemies? Schmitz never committed a crime, and he never sold a vote or betrayed his constituency. How many politicians can meet that standard?
William S. Hulsy
Attorney at Law
Anthony Pignataro responds: The FBI reports that provided the foundation of my story laid out explicitly that Schmitz saw his defeat as the result of a vast organized-crime conspiracy that stretched far beyond Andrew Hinshaw and included President Richard Nixon. The reports also show quite clearly that Schmitz brought his “psychic” friends to the FBI and let them tell of their “stolen ballots” theory. Whether Hulsy recalls these events, the FBI insists they happened.
TWO-MINUTE DRILL
Anthony Pignataro's criticism of President George W. Bush and the LA Timeswas unconvincing (“Bushwa,” Feb. 15). The arguments hang in the air, without any substance and few facts to support them. He seems to be coming from the “hate America” Left; if someone attacks America, it must be our fault. I took about two minutes to write this letter; I suspect Mr. Pignataro needed three minutes for his article.
Frank Ormsby
Long Beach
TheWeekly's payroll clerk responds:Thanks for the heads up, Frank. Pignataro put in for overtime on that story.
IT'S NOT SIR PAUL'S FAULT HE LOOKS LIKE AUNT BEA
I've lost respect for poor Commie Girl for putting down Sir Paul McCartney as ugly and saying his face-lift is sagging (Rebecca Schoenkopf's “Bring Back the Scabs!” Feb. 8). Paul will be 60 this June, and he has not had a face-lift. Commie Girl is hardly one to talk about face-lifts; from the few photos she's allowed OC Weekly to show, she needs a face-lift—and I bet she is half Paul's age.
As for Uncoolest Beatle? Paul was the most outspoken on legalizing marijuana, admitted taking LSD (before anyone else in the world), was very outspoken on animal rights and vegetarian lifestyles—all things OC Weeklyembraces as “cool.” Perhaps she thinks George was cool for his “God” lectures, or Ringo for his wine commercials, or John for his “househusband” period. Compared with Paul, these can hardly be considered cool! Paul has written more great music than anyone in music history. He doesn't care about how he looks; his music is all he needs. Commie Girl, you need the face-lift—and some ear surgery!
Pat O'Connor
Garden Grove
Rebecca Schoenkopf responds:Thanks for the best letterever! But I would like to clarify a few things. A) Although we at theWeekly are pro-dope and -acid, we hate vegetarians and all their self-righteous blather. B) As for the “Uncoolest Beatle” crack, I wasn't counting George or John. You may have noticed they're dead. (And what's wrong with being a househusband? You got an un-P.C. problem with feminism?) I was comparing him with Ringo, who is funny and goofy instead of lame, stuffy, starched-flannel-by-the-fake-campfire Paul. C) I will be 29 on Feb. 25. Gifts—including certificates for free face-lifts—can be sent care of theWeekly.
NOT ALL OF AGOZINO'S RANTS FALLING ON DEAF FEARS
Preacher Rich Agozino is right about the planned takeover of the Southwest by Mexico (R. Scott Moxley's “Blow Their Butts to Hell!” Feb. 8). In the documentary Conquest of Aztlan—available at www.americanpatrol.com—you can hear so-called “Latino” leaders talk about it.
Haydee Pavia
West Hills HOT LISBON ACTION
While it is admirable that the Weekly (unlike the Times and Register) acknowledges that Spanish uses accent marks, your esteemed fag rag has a way to go before it can claim to know its shit. In Russell Brock's CD review of Desaparecidos, he gets multicultural by using the Spanish word for “heart.” Trouble is he has his languages mixed up: he writes it as “corazn,” when in fact it should be “corazn.” All Spanish accents go from down to up [] rather than up to down [`]. Don't mix up our beautiful language with that dirty Portuguese.
An AnonymousChntaro
via e-mail
STUCK IN THE MUD
Merely eight stops into our tour of restaurants from your food issue (“Nice Dish!” Jan. 25), we were done in by the mud pie at Fisherman's Restaurant in San Clemente. Do you have a “Nice Exercise!” follow-up issue in the offing—the 100 best ways to shed weight in OC? If not, maybe you should have included a health-risk disclaimer.
Pete Steinmetz
Mission Viejo
