Santa Ana Councilmembers: Mensches and Mensos

Over the weekend, the Orange County Register reported that SanTana City bureaucrats have put their much-vaunted Renaissance Plan on hold after public outcry over its Big Hermano approach to redevelopment. But that's not the biggest news: reporter Doug Irving also revealed that councilmember Vince Sarmiento is recusing himself from all votes and discussions involving the Renaissance Plan, even though his family's business is currently part of the Renaissance Blob and therefore outside its jurisdiction (gracias, Doug, for acknowledging that the Weekly first broke this story--you'll become the next Courtney Perkes yet). "In an interview last week," Irving wrote, "Sarmiento said he intends to remove himself from all further discussion of the plan, because 'the perceived or apparent conflict (of interest) is enough sometimes.'" Congratulations, Vince, on being an ethical councilmember--mind telling your colleagues to follow your example, por favor?