Trustee Lisa Manzella’s Cyberbullying Demonstrates Conduct Unbecoming A Township Elected Official

Cyberbullying, the act of using computers and related technology (including the Internet) to harm other people in a deliberate, repeated, and hostile manner, is on the rise.

Cyberbullying is, unquestionably, one of the most destructive and disgraceful actions people (of any age) can do to another human being.  Individuals who engage in such reprehensible behavior are insecure, spiteful and vengeful thugs who have a total lack of regard for others.

By now we have all heard or seen stories about cyberbullies and the impact they are having on kids in schools.  You may even know someone who has encountered a cyberbully.  Those who choose to pick on others, spread lies and rumors, and viciously harass others pose a real threat to society — whether this bullying be face-to-face or in cyberspace.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette has decided to crackdown on cyberbullying.  He recently launched the “Michigan CSI Internet Safety Program.”  The program, which is an educational and information program conducted in our schools,  addresses consequences associated with the increased prevalence of cyberbullying.  In announcing the program Attorney General Schuette said that given today’s computers and cell phone technology, a child can be bullied anywhere.

That is true.  But cyberbullying is not limited to children.  There are plenty of other people, including adults, who get harassed online.  Perhaps Mr. Schuette should take a look at adults who cyberbully as well?  As for elected officials who engage in this conduct there is a proven way to deal with them — it’s called an ELECTION!

Bullying has definitely become a more complex issue.  No longer limited to playgrounds and other concrete locations, it has expanded with the development of technology to such areas as texts, emails and social networking sites, like Facebook.  Trustee Lisa Manzella is well aware of Facebook, since this is her social media network of choice for smearing, trashing, and slandering her fellow elected officials, as well as township residents.

Previous Inside Out posts have discussed, in detail, how Lisa Manzella, and her fellow Save Shelby culprits, are using the Internet to personally attack our elected officials.   The first one was on June 1, 2011 and the second was written on June 8, 2011.  Both of these posts discuss how Trustee Lisa Manzella and her “Save Shelby, Status Quo, Liberal Spending Liars Society” (a.k.a. Save Shelby) have engaged in a malicious, calculated and personal campaign to destroy the reputations and characters of our elected officials — and anyone who dares oppose the Save Shelby vision for our township.

Why does Manzella engage in such juvenile conduct like using Facebook to air her personal gripes?  Perhaps Manzella feels untouchable, thinking that no one can do anything to stop her.  However, not even Lisa Manzella is above the law.  Her public actions and slanderous comments pose serious problems for her.  Cyberbullying is cyberbullying — regardless of your age.

Below are some of Lisa Manzella’s Facebook posts which illustrate how she has transformed herself from a public servant into a public embarrassment:

Yes, Manzella has the right to free speech.  However, just as you can’t scream fire in a crowded theater, not all Facebook posts have been deemed as meeting the test of free speech.  You can’t bully or harass people.  You can’t spread malicious lies about people.  And you can’t publicly defame people.  This is especially true for public officials who are held to a higher standard of conduct.

Bowling alleys?  Residents who regularly watch the Board of Trustees meetings know that the only people who have engaged in “bowling alley” conduct over the last several months are Save Shelby members who have repeatedly screamed, talked out of turn, and used words like “jackass” to describe the Board.  This includes Nick “the loudmouth” Nightingale, who has consistently shown a total lack of respect for the Board and for proper conduct during meetings.  Now Nick Nightingale wants to run for township Trustee?

By attacking township Board members, Manzella may think she and her Save Shelby clowns are throwing strikes.  However, what they are actually throwing are gutter balls.

Speaking of the gutter, check out this Facebook post:

Nasty and vile is perhaps the perfect way to describe Manzella’s Facebook attacks.  Calling residents “small minded” and a “pedophile” certainly crosses the line of reasonable conduct for an elected official.  Again, Manzella may think she is being cute, but her ugly comments show her dark side.

This is not the first time Manzella has attacked township residents.  Check out this post:

 

Calling someone a “big fat ass” is sure to win you votes, don’t you think?  Hey “big fat ass” vote for me!  A new Manzella campaign tactic?

Anyway, does Manzella’s comment that she doesn’t have to be nice to people, and that she doesn’t want our votes, reflect the character of someone fit to serve the residents of Shelby Township?  Or, does it reflect the disjointed thinking of someone who should do us all a favor and just resign?

Also, complaints by Val Alspaugh, Tom Delise, Lisa Manzella and other Save Shelby cronies that the Inside Out does not include opposing viewpoints have no merit.  This blog alone stands as proof that we do, indeed, include comments from the “other side.”  We have done so repeatedly and will continue reprinting Facebook posts because it is vital that all residents see for themselves what Lisa Manzella and her Save Shelby crew are saying about our community.

However, just as we include these comments, we also reserve the right to offer our comments and point out the lies, distortions and misinformation being circulated by the “Save Shelby, Status Quo, Liberal Spending Liars Society.”

Moving on, here is another posting by Lisa Manzella:

Referring to the Supervisor as “Stathasskiss”, as Manzella has done (probably more than once), is surely no way to build teamwork on the Board, is it?  Since she has worked to disrupt the “team”, what right does Manzella have to even mention teamwork?

Given conduct like this, Manzella then has the audacity to complain when people criticize her foolish antics.  She loves to play the victim card, and her famous claim to fame is that she is being picked on by “bullies.”  Actually, Manzella is the biggest bully of all who enjoys starting fights.

Here is another attack upon Supervisor Rick Stathakis:

Beyond just another senseless and useless rant, this Manzella Facebook post makes no sense.  Okay, so Manzella missed a Board meeting.  It wasn’t the first time she has been absent.  Then she goes on to complain about the meeting she didn’t attend?  She probably took the word of her political mentor, Clerk Terri Kowal, or some Save Shelby gang member’s interpretation, and then decided to log on Facebook and start typing.

Now, let’s examine some of Lisa Manzella’s attacks upon Treasurer Paul Viar:

Treasurer Paul Viar has been trying to expose the problem with union pensions for years.    However, at every turn he has been attacked for pointing out these unsustainable, budget-busting pensions.  Manzella has joined in this attack against Treasurer Viar, calling his campaign to educate voters about pensions an unnecessary “rant.”

Why is Lisa Manzella unconcerned about skyrocketing costs of union pensions?  Why does she want to silence Treasurer Viar from telling taxpayers what they are paying, and how much these pensions will cost us today and in the future?  Is it because she quietly supports the Save Shelby idea that the way to deal with the budget problems is to raise taxes?  Since some Save Shelby people want to raise them (if needed), does Manzella share this idea?

When Manzella’s friend Skip Maccarone was calling the shots, Mr. Viar wanted to add more money to help pay down the pension deficit.   Those were the days when the economy was strong and the township was bringing in money, thanks to rising property values.  However, Maccarone and Manzella opposed that idea, preferring to spend all available money possible — every single tax dollar — for their grand “campus.”  This included a $20 million police/court building, and a $50 million campus of new buildings.  Remember, Manzella has said publicly that it is better to spend tax money than save it in the bank.

As Manzella and Maccarone saw it, Shelby taxpayers were supposed to just pay their higher tax bills and “trust“ their elected officials to do the right thing when it came to spending money for the “campus.”  Remember, Manzella and Maccarone didn’t even want taxpayers to vote on the millions in new bonds that would have been required to build the Manzella/Maccarone campus!  “Hey everyone,  just pay the bills and shut up.  We were elected to decide how to spend the money.”

If you doubt what we say about Manzella and her "no vote on bonds" position, here is what she wrote to resident Ed Young about this on Tuesday, March 28, 2006.  FYI...we have the entire letter and if you would like to see it send us an e-mail and we will forward you the Manzella/Young PDF:

“I took the judicial center under my wing because I firmly believe it is a necessity.  I believe the time is now to complete this project.  I was elected by the people to make decisions, and I believe it is an act of cowardace to throw this back at the people.  Only a self-serving official who has their own interest, would be coward enough not to act on the police and court building.  I can’t speak to all of the projects that may or may not seek voter approval, however I see no reason to go to the voters for the new police and court facility....  The board was elected to make financial decisions for the community.  I will not toss a difficult decision back to the residents to avoid making a decision.”

That about sums it up!

Reading on some more:

Manzella is talking about the recall meeting by the Save Shelby/Nightingales held at Nick’s 22nd Street Steakhouse.  Whenever Manzella gets upset she puts her fingers on a computer keyboard and starts ranting.  She either doesn’t have a self-censor button, or doesn’t know how to use it.  Publicly saying that Mr. Viar has “sundowners” is an attack on Mr. Viar’s age — and quite possibly demonstrates ageism by Manzella.

What is ageism?
AGEISM: prejudice or discrimination against a particular age-group and especially the elderly.

Here is yet another Facebook attack on Mr. Viar.  This time, Manzella is comparing the Treasurer to the respected journalist Andy Rooney – another elderly gentleman.  Is this another ageist attack?

The last comment, about Vavro supplying barf bags, is sure to upset family and friends of Robert Vavro.   Mr. Vavro is another senior citizen who disagrees with Manzella’s dirty political games and comes to Board meetings to speak.

Here is another swipe at Treasurer Viar, once again concerning his age:

Do Lisa Manzella’s possible ageist comments serve some purpose?  Or does she simply revel in acting foolish,  stupid and discriminatory on Facebook?

When township resident Bob Vavro attempted to read this posting at the Tuesday, October 4th Board meeting, Treasurer Paul Viar stopped him.  “This is not an X-rated show” is what Mr. Viar said.

When you read the post you can understand why Mr. Viar would be concerned that school students who may be watching the Board meeting for a civics project may be offended by the comment.  “Mommy what does it mean when she said the only thing he can get up is his blood pressure?”  Obviously, Manzella does not give a damn about the audience she represents and feels she can say and write anything she wants about anyone.

Now, check out this Manzella post which compares Supervisor Stathakis to the leader of the Nazi regime, Adolf Hitler:

To our amazement, Manzella actually compared Supervisor Stathakis to Hitler.  Offensive comments like this should be restricted to talks between bowlers after a few drinks.  It should not be posted on Facebook as the official view of a township elected official. 

As discussed in our July 12, 2011 Inside Out, it is clear that Mrs. Manzella has consistently used the Internet to smear people who she disagrees with, especially on issues regarding taxing and spending.  Her favorite targets in these have been Supervisor Stathakis and Treasurer Viar. 

However, Manzella has also stupidly attacked Trustee Mike Flynn.  Check out the following:

When we first saw this post it made no sense.  What is Danny O’Day doing on Save Shelby’s Facebook page?  However, once Manzella’s recall puppet, Tom Delise, chimed in with his “That's MF guy" we made the connection.  Delise/Manzella were referring to Trustee Mike Flynn, and calling him a dummy.  Well, the truth is that the biggest dummies in Shelby, as shown by their failed recall campaigns, are Tom Delise and his string-puller Lisa Manzella.

Below is another Facebook posting which not only, once again, attacks Supervisor Stathakis, but also spreads lies about DARE and the school crossing guards — two unrelated issues Save Shelby used during their recall campaign to try and trick people into signing petitions.  

Lisa Manzella either knew this was false when she wrote it, but decided to write it anyway (a lie), or she didn’t know this statement was untrue, even though it was blatantly obvious (upon reviewing Board of Trustees minutes) that DARE and the crossing guards were unrelated items.  We believe Manzella knew it was false, but conned her Save Shelby associates into repeating the lie to try and discredit the Board.  In the end, it was Manzella and Save Shelby who ended up being discredited for their pack of lies.

We discussed the crossing guard issue, and Save Shelby’s pack of lies about it, in our April 22, 2011 Inside Out.  Check it out and decide for yourself if Manzella is a liar.

Concerning charitable work, Manzella is wrong!  Supervisor Stathakis supports various charities.  He just goes about it quietly, and doesn’t seek publicity.  Manzella, on the other hand, actively sniffs out cameras and reporters to tout her activities.

Facebook is not the only medium that Manzella has used to spread her venom.  She has become a regular poster on the Shelby-Utica Patch website.  Here is one of her comments which says volumes about Trustee Lisa Manzella, and her BS about how grateful she is to serve our township:

When you read that comment above, and put it in perspective with everything else, it is clear that Lisa Manzella is tired of serving on the Board of Trustees.  When Skip Maccarone lost the election in 2008, Manzella really took it hard.  She never got over it.  Instead, she made a conscious decision to try and  slander, smear and defame the Board of Trustees.  What a damn shame!

Below is another post taken from the Shelby-Utica Patch.  This one discusses the spending of $50 million for Manzella’s campus scheme:

As you will see, Manzella even takes another swing at Treasurer Paul Viar (another ageist comment?), this time calling the Treasurer “senile.”

And here is yet another classic Manzellian post from the Shelby-Utica Patch:

 

In this post, Manzella goes to bat for the failed recall, and supports her friends the Nightingales, the key organizers of the recall.  She also brazenly calls a resident “unphotogenic.”  The pot calling the kettle black?

Finally, here is one more Facebook post which is sure to call into question Manzella’s mental state:

Perhaps the next time Manzella goes bargain hunting at Barnes and Nobles she should pick up a few more books off the clearance racks.  Judging from what we hear, Lisa Manzella is sure to have plenty of spare time when voters give her an unceremonious kick in the behind when we remove her from public office in 2012.

When that day of reckoning finally arrives, Lisa Manzella will then be remembered as just another one of those“bullies, creeps, jerks, tyrants, backstabbers and egomaniacs and all the other assholes” who tried to destroy our township and tried to push their own personal agenda, but who ended up getting dumped by voters sickened by their negative actions.

Facebook is a truly remarkable way to communicate in the 21st Century.  However, as is the case with everything in life, there are always going to be people who take something meant for good, and use it for bad.  Such is the case with Trustee Lisa Manzella and Facebook.

Until next time...