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3:32 pm
June 20, 2007
On November 22, 2010 at 12:02:55 PM PST I sent an email with a list of questions to Jim Bickhart, a senior deputy for the Mayor of Los Angeles, in regard to his apparent postings on this website. I know that he has received my email, as he had an intermediary call me to try and get me to speak with him on the phone. After the call with the intermediary, I emailed Mr. Bickhart once again telling him that all communication would need to be by email.
My records indicate that Mr. Bickhart is likely the one responsible for posts on YoVenice under the user name SnakePliskin that include statements that if there was an RV in front of his home when he came home from work, he would light it on fire.
The posts that apparently (he has yet to take personal responsibility for these posts) were made by Mr. Bickhart/SnakePliskin have put my personal safety in Venice at risk, put RV resident's personal safety at risk by trying to incite physical harm to both them and their property, damaged the reputation of my website and also damaged the reputations of each and every individual that posts and comments here in good faith.
Mr. Bickhart is considered by many to be the "inside man" at the Mayor's office that helps fight against Overnight Parking Districts (OPD's) and Overnight Vehicle Restrictions (OVO's) in Venice. Bickhart is also the President of the Board of Directors of PVJobs, a group with professional ties to the (edit) Venice Community Housing Corporation of Venice.
While YoVenice has open user forms that promote free speech, the site does not condone nor allow calls to action promoting terrorist threats or physical harm to anyone. For this reason, the comment about lighting RV's on fire was immediately deleted. The damage had been done against Yo! Venice! however, and other local websites began referencing this post and calling this site a "hate site" that had called for the burning of RV's in Venice.
The apparent Bickhart/ SnakePliskin poster then moved on with an attack seemingly made to malign The Venice Stakeholders, writing:
"Who cares? Villa-la-grossa is just as big a coward as Rosendahl. Maybe the Stakeholders are right – if these folks won't leave, we should get someone to come around with a semi, load the homeless scum into it like stinking sardines and drive them out to the Mojave. Dump 'em there in the dead of night blindfolded and drive away. Period. End of story."
The Venice Stakeholders have vehemently denied that they made any statement or discussed any such idea as attributed to them by "SnakePliskin".
(Added information: This website has no relationship whatsoever with The Venice Stakeholders, Venice WatchDawg or any other political group of any type. While members of those groups may post here, and we may run press releases by them, there is no relationship beyond that.)
While the apparent Mr. Bickhart/SnakePliskin has posted on this site today that these posts were an attempt at satire, his previous posts were apparently made to undermine specific members of this community that disagree with his politics as well as this website as a whole. "SnakePliskin"'s claiming that it was satire does not excuse his totally unethical behavior, and it is my sincere hope that anyone associated with this will reexamine their values and understand that if anything happens as the result of their dirty tricks to me, any Residents of Venice, RV Dwellers, or individuals that have participated in these forums, they will be held responsible and accountable.
My email to Jim Bickhart which has gone unanswered:
Hi Jim,
I am doing an article which involves your posting on my website under the user name SnakePliskin.
Was this posting approved of by the Mayors Office? PV Jobs? Venice Action?
How do you explain your comments such as:
"We got what we wanted on the RVs and campers. Who do we go after next? We can't stop until this place is all cleansed. Wash away the scum. ALL of it."
"Who cares? Villa-la-grossa is just as big a coward as Rosendahl. Maybe the Stakeholders are right – if these folks won't leave, we should get someone to come around with a semi, load the homeless scum into it like stinking sardines and drive them out to the Mojave. Dump 'em there in the dead of night blindfolded and drive away. Period. End of story."
"Next time one of those wussies heckles you, just pop 'em one. No . They protect scum, they should be treated like scum. It doesn't matter if they make money sucking on the goverment tit or if there Wolfgang frigging *#!%$!. Time is running short."
and the one where you said something like "when i get home if there is an RV in front of my home I am going to light it on fire"
I'd like your comments on how you came to post these things on my website. I find them quite odd considering your job at the Mayor's office and also at PV Jobs, as well as your association with Venice Action, Linda Lucks, and (edit) Venice Community Housing Corporation and Steve Clare and Susan Millman.
Anyway, you actually do make verifiable digital records when you register and use websites – there is no reason for you to try and now destroy the evidence by deleting your online posts, it has all been backed up.
If I do not receive comment from you, I will still be running the article .. just giving you a chance to comment on your internet postings on my website YoVenice.com
Looking forward to your explanation of these things.
The article will likely be up at the end of the day or tomorrow, so I will need your comments by then.
Thanks!
4:14 pm
July 14, 2009
Well, if "SnakePlisken" (SnakePlissken) is indeed Mr. Bickhart, it will give "Escape From L.A." a whole new meaning. It is hard understand how someone could be so incredibly dumb & calloused to make the comments "SnakePlisken" made – even if the were meant to be "satirical". One has to be fairly intelligent and sophisticated to understand true satire and I believe most Venetians do not have the necessary time or energy for it, at this time.
Satire can be clever and interesting, but not some ones expense or a veiled threat. If it is you Mr. Bickhart, may I suggest you withdraw from YV, as you may be, "toast."
4:14 pm
May 11, 2010
This isn't a hate site but there are definitly some haters here in Venice…I really think we need to find a place for the people who live in mobile homes
4:22 pm
September 2, 2010
redclem said:
This isn't a hate site but there are definitly some haters here in Venice…I really think we need to find a place for the people who live in mobile homes
Who doesn't want that? It seems the only people posting against S2H on Yo! are those in RV's and now vans who don't wish to go there.
Mr. Bickhart, your silence is deafening. Account for yourself sir. "Just kidding" isn't going to cut it and you are bright enough to know that.
4:22 pm
May 11, 2010
I Heart Alex..:)….Peace in the middle east and tie dye…:)….Keep it real Venice I'll be back~~~~
4:26 pm
June 20, 2007
redclem said:
This isn't a hate site but there are definitly some haters here in Venice…I really think we need to find a place for the people who live in mobile homes
As posted in another thread by me:
While I don't personally think that a few RV's and RV dwellers hurt the
community in the slightest, I certainly see it is a valid concern to
enforce the existing laws at this point in time as there are quite
simply too many of them on our streets. Left unchecked, what would
happen? An RV in front of every home? That is the way it is headed as
word spreads throughout the US that Venice is RV Dwelling central. So,
for me personally, it is just a lame situation where 20 or so RV's could
be cool … but 200-300 don't seem to be sustainable on the City streets.
To all of the RV Dwelling readers of the site: I hope you understand my
personal opinion that 20 or so RV's would be cool, but there are simply
too many of them now. I know in speaking with some of you that you feel
the same way.
5:07 pm
June 16, 2009
Nothing wrong with RV'ers living in Venice.
Something wrong with ALL the RV'ers living in Venice.
Nothing wrong with Homeless living in Venice.
Something wrong with ALL the homeless living in Venice.
Nothing wrong with Social Services being in Venice.
Something wrong with ALL the social services being in Venice.
Got it?
5:08 pm
September 2, 2010
Nice of him to give Shane a shout out in his rebuttal though.
5:08 pm
June 17, 2009
What Shane said. =^.^=
Listen Mr. Bickhart, clearly you don't live in Venice. You simply don't get it nor , it would seem, do you care to. I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you. You need to do that yourself. :p
5:15 pm
September 21, 2010
If the allegation of "Snake"'s identity is true, we have a genuine scandal on our hands…
SNAKEGATE
comes to mind, but I like
HATEGATE
better because its more to the point.
OH, and you left Kurt Russel off of the offended persons list.
5:17 pm
March 23, 2010
Shane said:
Nothing wrong with RV'ers living in Venice.
Something wrong with ALL the RV'ers living in Venice.
Nothing wrong with Homeless living in Venice.
Something wrong with ALL the homeless living in Venice.
Nothing wrong with Social Services being in Venice.
Something wrong with ALL the social services being in Venice.
Got it?
But then Linda, Steve, Susan and some of their friends might have to commute to dangerous neighborhoods where some of the people don't even speak English and you can't get a good latte to save yourself! And they might have to burn gasoline to do it, and that might cause global warming… That's it! They want all the homeless and social services to come here because it's more environmentally conscious that way!
Realistically they do it for the same reason that all the RVers are here. We put up with it. (post edited)
5:50 pm
February 14, 2010
Bret wrote: My records indicate that Mr. Bickhart is likely the one responsible for posts on YoVenice under the user name SnakePliskin that include statements that if there was an RV in front of his home when he came home from work, he would light it on fire.
The posts that apparently (he has yet to take personal responsibility for these posts) were made by Mr. Bickhart/SnakePliskin have put my personal safety in Venice at risk, put RV resident’s personal safety at risk by trying to incite physical harm to both them and their property, damaged the reputation of my website and also damaged the reputations of each and every individual that posts and comments here in good faith.
Thanks Bret, and I will now assume your records are correct and Mr. B is the "likely" poster, who is a senior deputy to the LA Mayor, and obviously an operative/agitator which begs the question," Are the nasty postings he wrote on YoVenice a part of his regular duties intent on undermining opposition to mayoral policies and putting Venice citizen/taxpayers in harm's way and approved by the mayor and his chief of staff?"
Can you imagine a member of the LAPD stirring the pot and threatening criminal behavior in a manner like that of SnakePliskin? Mr. Bickert, the "likely the one responsible for posts on Yo Venice under the user name SnakePliskin," is part of the lawmaking establishment and what he wrote is reprehensible, fork mouthed and unbefitting a public official on the public dole who attempted to undermine a reputable blog and Venice citizens. The mayor's chief of staff is a professed Christian and minister and does he condone the behavior of his surrogate?
Regardless, if the earlier post by SnakePliskin is considered an apology it falls far short of what is now necessary. We demand a public apology, on City of Los Angeles' Mayor's Office letterhead. We also want an immediate resignation from the senior deputy or a termination of his employment by the mayor for his wanton, devious and attempts to create civic disharmony, even hate and violence.
SnakePliskin is held to a higher standard than other posters, he represents the mayor of Los Angeles.
