Truth Behind Bogus Letter to Editor
* The letter to the editor printed July 16 and signed Tina MacFarland was not written by me. It was meant to discredit the testimony I gave to the [Laguna Niguel] City Council at the June 6 meeting about the Binion project. It was so typical of the lies and deceit that have permeated this endeavor by Laguna Beach in an effort to stop Mr. [Jack] Binion, at any cost, from building on his property.
One must realize the fabrication of this fraudulent letter is the standard procedure for many who live in Laguna Beach. If these lies are provided to the Los Angeles Times, how many other “facts” given to the City Council have been lies? The people who wrote this letter went to the trouble to print personal stationery with my name on it. They looked up MacFarland in the phone book to find someone listed in my area. They found the name of a MacFarland (no relation) and used that address and my first name. The phone number left for verification was a fax line not belonging to the MacFarlands. I am afraid that this outrageous and irresponsible behavior is indicative of a greater problem. This is a criminal offense, and I am treating it as such. I have filed a police report and if more than one person is involved, this conspiracy becomes a felony.
I wonder if the good people of Laguna Beach are proud of this well-thought-out plan to attempt to discredit me, to libel Mayor Mark Goodman and Councilwoman Patricia C. Bates, and defraud the Los Angeles Times and the public. The letter was poorly written and makes no sense. Mr. Binion has a legal right to make productive use of his property. Although I am flattered to be given so much credence by these nitwits, my opinion does not matter. The only opinions that truly matter are those of the City Council.
I sincerely hope this contemptible fraud backfires. I heard the experts (who had no personal stake in this) say that the runoff from the Binion project would not adversely impact residents below. I believe them. This fraudulent letter would be amusing if it weren’t so pathetic and typical of the desperation and evil intent that is behind the effort to control development in Laguna Niguel. There was the group who opposed the 32 homes, a new group opposing the 22 homes and there would be another group set at the ready to oppose the next phase if one [is] proposed. There will be an attempt to control design and, yes, color, as Laguna Beach history will attest.
It has become evident that it is not just opinions that differ here, we are talking about lies. We are talking about not trusting the “facts” that have been presented. The Laguna-tics have attempted to make fools of the City Council. They didn’t even check the most basic fact of them all, the spelling of my name . . .
TINA McFARLIN
Laguna Niguel
* In the fraudulent letter, it is reported that I made a $1,000 campaign contribution to Mayor Mark Goodman. For the record, and as confirmed by city officials and Mayor Goodman in official campaign contribution disclosure statements, our family made a $100 contribution to then-City Council candidate Mark Goodman in 1992. That was our only contribution to Mr. Goodman. We were retained to assist the Binion family in their planning efforts in June, 1994.
PHILIP F. BETTENCOURT
Newport Beach
Editors’ Note: The Times is sorry for any confusion or inconvenience the bogus letter may have caused.