So what is the best course?
Nothing.
The 10,000-odd readers of this publication are insignificant in electoral terms. The story, when read today, will be forgotten tomorrow, shoved aside in the context of state job listings and the like. People who read this publication are probably looking for state jobs, and appreciate them being a growth industry!
So if you ignore this issue, nobody's going to pick it up and nothing will happen. You have to have a bit of self-confidence to pull it off, but if you do, nothing will happen.
Unfortunately, for Gray, he doesn't have the self-confidence. Or, considering other matters discussed here, perhaps I could say 'balls'?
Of course his actual, vindictive policy not only makes this a major news story, it also exposes his incompetence in handling a hiring freeze to the world.
Gray Davis is a fool - or he has fools for advisors.
D
I think the latter, especially. Garry South or some other high-ranking administration official retaliated against the COPS endorsement of Simon by getting the head of that organization thrown off the state board (I think) that Davis appointed him to. Thereby assuring even MORE coverage of the whole thing. Now somebody has taken steps to bludgeon an obscure publication and managed to get the story picked up by a major state paper. These aren't exactly PR rocket scientists handling Davis' affairs, are they?