Mayoral Rant Helps Boost Profile of Opponent

Karina Quintanilla’s Mayoral Rant Disparaging the Patriot Store May Have Unintentionally Boosted Her Opponent’s Profile

PALM DESERT — Karina Quintanilla’s rant on social media lambasting the presence of The Patriot Store on El Paseo might have inadvertently helped her only opponent, Chris Scott.

East Valley Republican Women Patriots have invited Scott to be their guest speaker on Tuesday, Aug. 27. The event begins at 10 a.m. at 73-760 El Paseo in Palm Desert.

“If you’ve missed the happenings this week, Chris’ opponent Mayor Karina Quintanilla has attacked us and our Patriot Store with unwarranted and mean postings,” President Joy Miedecke wrote in her newsletter. “Thankfully, we have a good candidate in Chris Scott who is poised to defeat her in November.”

In her newsletter, she also included a clip from QuoteInvestigator.com: “P. T. Barnum was once interviewed by a woman who told him that she was writing a book, and that it would contain something disagreeable about him. “No matter, madam,” was his reply, “say anything you like about me, but spell my name right, and I’ll be pleased anyway.” The blackmailer retired in confusion.”

“Perhaps now would be a good time for Mayor Karina Quintanilla to retire in confusion,” Miedecke wrote in her newsletter. ” What she meant for evil in her unwarranted and mean attacks on the Patriot Store actually turned out for our good by giving us the best retail day we have ever had.  Stop by 73-760 El Paseo to see everything from T-shirts and mugs to customizable jewelry that can be bedazzled with letters to spell whatever customers would like.  We bring people from the local area and from around the world to shop on El Paseo.  We are good for other merchants, especially during the dog days of summer, and we are good for Palm Desert.

“So, thank you Mayor Quintanilla for highlighting us, and now you may exit stage left as your opposition, life-long resident Chris Scott, defeats you in November.”

Quintanilla’s Facebook post in which she identified herself as Mayor Karina Quintanilla, denounced a feature story, the writer and publication of an article about the Patriot Store appearing in the El Paseo catalogue. After at least a dozen residents publicly called her out, some asked her to apologize; some even called on her to resign or be recalled.

Quintanilla has not apologized but did remove the post and reiterated that “what was posted reflect my views and are not associated with the City of Palm Desert.”

She also posted that, :For every angry comment, I am getting twice as many comments, messages, calls, and support.”