Bites and Maviglio

From: Steven Maviglio
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2001 4:28 PM
To: ’bites@newsreview.com‘
Subject: In Case You Were Interested…

I know you hate facts to get in the way of a good story, but Governor Davis did, in fact, meet with representatives of the California Newspaper Publishers Association in his office. He also has talked to a “huge room full of journalists” about 15 times in the past three weeks, not to mention interviews on CNN, NBC, CBS, and PBS and the state’s major daily newspapers.

And lastly, Senator Brulte has been in dozens of meetings with the Governor during the past two months. Along with Assemblyman Campbell, he also travelled to Washington, D.C. to participate in meetings with generators, utilities, and federal officials on the energy crisis

——-Original Message——-

From: Capital Bites [bites@newsreview.com]
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2001 10:20 AM
To: ’Steven.Maviglio@GOV.CA.GOV‘
Subject:

You said it, brother, those facts can be so pesky, like the fact that Davis hasn’t taken more than a couple questions from hand-picked Establishment journalists at any of these press briefings since this energy boondoggle began. And while it’s awfully big of the state’s top elected official to actually meet with CNPA publishers and other selected mainstream journalists, that’s not exactly the same thing as opening himself up to tough questions from skeptical outsiders like Bites. But if it’s really true that the governor is open to a freewhelling discussion of the full range of issues raised by our energy situation — rather than being in full spin control mood, stifling discussion of the negative implications of propping up the flawed dereg concept or taking over an aging transmission grid — then perhaps he would grant an interview to Bites or someone else here at SN&R?

Bites

P.S. BTW, if Brulte has indeed been in-the-loop as you imply, how does Davis respond to Brutle’s statement to the CNPA gathering that “I’m having the same hard time getting information out of the finance office that you are?”

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From: Steven Maviglio
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2001 10:30 AM
To: ‘Capital Bites’
Subject: RE:

I’m sure the “establishment journalists” will get a chuckle out of your remarks about access lately…and since you’ve now criticized him for NOT meeting with the publishers and in your e-mail, FOR meeting with them, I guess he can’t win with you no matter what he does (as if that wasn’t apparent from your articles anyway). Maybe you should join some of Sacramento’s award-winning journalists at one of the many press conferences we’re having and actually ask a question or two…The Governor typically answers about 10-15 or so, but I guess that qualifies as “a couple” in SN&R fact land.

The reason we do not reveal information about the price we pay for power is that the market is easily gamed — same reason you don’t show your cards to your opponent. Senator Brulte, who cosposnored the deregulation bill, is briefed on a regular basis by the Governor.

——-Original Message——-

From: Capital Bites [bites@newsreview.com]
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2001 10:53 AM
To: ‘Steven Maviglio’
Subject: RE:

Bites has admittedly only been to two Davis press conferences this year — and he took just two questions at each of them, ignoring my raised hand both times — so perhaps I’ve simply missed out on all the extended Q-&-A sessions the governor has held. My bad. Regarding the CNPA meeting, my point wasn’t that Davis wouldn’t hold closed-door meetings with people, but that he hasn’t been open to taking part in forums that include extended Q&A sessions with potentially hostile questioners. And if the reason for clamping down on energy purchase information is really to prevent gaming of the market, why doesn’t he reveal detailed information on purchases that have already been made? With the market fluctuating so much, how would such past information hurt the state’s bargaining position? And how would you weigh that highly speculative risk against the public’s constitutional right to know how its money is being spent? Your establishment journalists buddies may get a chuckle out of my remarks about access, but my activist friends will get a full belly-laugh over your portrayl of Davis as Mr. Openness and Accountability.

Bites

P.S. And what about that interview request? Is it being processed?

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From: Steven Maviglio

Sent: Friday, March 02, 2001 11:42 AM
To: ‘Capital Bites’
Subject: RE:

The Governor holds press conferences routinely. I would suggest to you that many questions the Governor gets are hostile — even from your establishment brethren. You are always welcome to come and ask whatever you would like to — I respect the right of you or any other journalist to do that, as does the Governor.

It’s pretty easy for generators to figure out how to game this market with past purchase information as well. New York’s ISO and Power Authority, for example, don’t release any of this information for six months after it’s done just for that reason. We plan to follow in their footsteps. As I was quoted in your feature this week, we WILL release the information that teh public has the right to know. It’s just a matter of when. I certainly understand the frustration of everyone involved in accessing the information. But it’s in the interests of getting the best prices. Our Public Records Act allows for this information to be kept confidential. The theory is the same as I indicated earlier: the more info we release, the more difficult it is for the state to get a good price (for example, if we gave away the low bid prices, why would anyone bid lower than that?).

——-Original Message——-

From: Capital Bites [bites@newsreview.com]
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2001 11:58 AM
To: ‘Steven Maviglio’
Subject: RE:

And the interview request?

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From: Steven Maviglio

Sent: Friday, March 02, 2001 1:14 PM
To: ‘Capital Bites’
Subject: RE:

I’ll ask.

——-Original Message——-

From: Capital Bites [bites@newsreview.com]
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2001 11:35 AM
To: ‘Steven Maviglio’
Subject: RE:

So how’s my request for an interview with the governor coming?

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From: Steven Maviglio
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2001 12:23 PM
To: ‘Capital Bites’
Subject: RE:

Oh, it’s right up there with SN&R doing an accurate story on the Governor.

Geez, you’d think with two cover stories, cartoons, and three sidelines

you’d have at least something right by now.

——-Original Message——-

From: Capital Bites [bites@newsreview.com]
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2001 4:19 PM
To: ‘Steven Maviglio’
Subject: RE:

I think you’re confusing “accurate” with “positive.” Just because we don’t buy your spin doesn’t mean that the articles aren’t accurate. In fact, it makes them far more accurate than most of the slobbery schlock written about Davis during his first two years in office, when he got a free ride from the press. Your boy has bungled the energy crisis in the most cowardly and intellectually dishonest of ways, and it’s nice to see mainstream journalists like the Bee’s editorial writers finally saying so (of course, it would have been nicer to hear them say it last summer, which is when we started sounding the alarm, when the impending problems were clearly outlined in legislative hearings, and when bold action by your boss could have prevented out-of-state generators from draining our treasury). But the bigger issue here — how we started this discussion and apparently how we’ll finish it — is how Davis refuses to subject himself to questioning from hostile sources, whether it be consumer advocates, supporters of public power or the alternative press. You proclaim his accountability while scoffing at the notion of actually granting an interview to SN&R. That is a telling indicator of a point that Bites has hammered in the past, and will continue to hammer in the future. Access to the elected leaders shouldn’t be a reward for playing nice in print, it should be the basic expectation of journalists in a democracy. That’s apparently not a viewpoint that you share.

Bites

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From: Steven Maviglio
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2001 6:13 PM
To: ‘Capital Bites’
Subject: RE:

I know the difference between accurate and positive. I wonder if Bites does. There hasn’t been anything positive about anything the Governor has done in SCN&R, whether it be health care, environment, or energy.

I guess I missed all those issues where you gave him a free ride. I guess I also missed all your coverage of the energy crisis in 1999 too. Or was it you who missed the Governor’s action approving the permitting of new plants (within 120 days of taking office, the first major plant sitings in 12 years), signing of legislation to fund a record level of conservation action and renewable energy and California, and immediate action to prevent massive rate increases in San Diego?

And I guess, along the rest of the world, I missed the “bold action” that the Governor could have taken with out-of-state generators, since Pete Wilson ceded all regulation of wholesale pricing to the federal government — a fact you seem to conveniently forget.

Again, I invite you to attend one of the many press briefings that the Governor holds on energy or any other topic. Who knows. You might actually get the facts for a change.

——-Original Message——-

From: Capital Bites [bites@newsreview.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2001 2:04 PM
To: ‘Steven Maviglio’
Subject: RE:

Frankly, Bites hasn’t seen that there has been anything terribly positive to say about Davis, but I’m waiting and hoping, and will devote considerable space to praising Davis as soon as he does something praiseworthy (and no, being governor when new power plants get approved, giving a token amount of money to conservation and renewal, and bailing out San Diegans when he should have been re-regulating don’t count).

As far as the bold action Davis could have taken, let’s go to his State of the State speech: “If I have to use the power of eminent domain to prevent generators from driving consumers into the dark and utilities into bankruptcy, then that’s exactly what I will do.” Funny, we’re still being periodically driven into the dark, but Davis has yet to give his threat any serious consideration or public debate, let alone acting on it. At the time, Bites mocked Davis for making such a hollow threat, and he has only proven that criticism to be valid.

Granted, Bites has been hard on Davis, so it’s understandable why you don’t exactly feel endeared to this paper. Yet my criticisms have not been based on spite or sensationalism, but on an honest and deeply felt disappointment in a man who could have led the state and country in some fundamental new directions, but who instead has chosen a safe course based on personal aggrandizement, short-sightedness and perpertuation of the most damaging free market fallacies. Once again, if Davis starts taking risks to provide more progressive leadership, Bites will be his biggest fan. But if he stays the course, Bites will be his fiercest critic.

Bites

P.S. I’m still waiting for you to point out something inaccurate versus something you just don’t like, otherwise you should probably shelf snippy comments like “You might actually get the facts for a change.”

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From: Steven Maviglio
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2001 2:13 PM
To: ‘Capital Bites’
Subject: RE:

THere is a five page letter coming your way noting all of the factual errors.

——-Original Message——-

From: Capital Bites [bites@newsreview.com]
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2001 3:17 PM
To: ‘Steven Maviglio’
Subject: RE:

Whoa, that’s sure a lot of errors, but bring ’em on. Bites will even reward such rigorous scrutiny by correcting any significant errors of fact in the paper for all to see. Just remember the difference between statements of opinion and statements of fact, because that should save us both some effort and the state some paper.

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From: Steven Maviglio
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2001 6:02 PM
To: ‘Capital Bites’
Subject: RE:

And I’m all for that. By the way, despite the tone of the emails, I still like your paper.