Moncrief goes on the offensive

Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2004 | 10:57 a.m.

Councilwoman Janet Moncrief took the offensive against the attempts to recall her, with a telephone message timed to reach people who were heading today to the polls, where a group that is seeking to kick her out of office is gathering signatures for its recall petition.

"I tried to tell them my track record and how I voted and asked them not to sign that (petition)," said Moncrief, who was elected to the council in June 2003. "I just want them to know I've been there, I've been very available."

Moncrief, who was indicted in early August on charges of falsifying campaign reports, faces two separate recall efforts. A spokesman for one of the groups, which calls itself the Ward One Clean Up Team, said over the weekend that he would be at the polls today gathering recall petition signatures.

Larry Anspach, who is involved with the other group, said his group was not going to be at the polls today.

By law the signatures from the two separate recall efforts cannot be combined. Each group must collect about 2,100 signatures, equal to a quarter of the votes cast in the ward in the last election, to set off a recall.

Moncrief said she wasn't worried about putting a bug in the ear of voters who may not have known about the recall effort.

"I didn't see any harm in it," Moncrief said. "I don't want to quit, and I don't want them (voters) to sign the petition."

She said her record has been distorted, and she pointed to payday loan operations as an example of drawing the line.

"I had 31 payday loan (operations) when I got in office, I still have 31," Moncrief said.