Two revelations came about late yesterday. First, we learned, despite the repeated canard to the contrary, that no California Assemblymen have required a translator to conduct business in the California legislature. Either on the heels of that, or for more bemusing reasons, the English Only ringleader Eric Crafton has also bailed on a debate Friday between him and former at-large councilman David Briley over the merits of English Only.

He’s not been performing very well on the merits thus far, so I can hardly blame him.

What is more troubling is the fabrication regarding the threats to English in California government, primarily because I (and other opponents) of this charter amendment have been saying that it addresses a problem that does not exist. In response, Crafton has said that 1) he was able to speak Japanese at a Council meeting, therefore it is a problem, 2) we don’t want to be like California where some elected legislators only speak Spanish, and 3) someone was granted a new trial because their translator did a shoddy job.

If you have a problem with the last one, you can stop reading now. Of the other two, the first is a farce, and the second has turned out to be untrue. But wait, there is an explanation!

Talking to Crafton this morning, he said he hadn’t actually seen the session in person (big shock, I know) but he THINKS he saw something LIKE IT– possibly in a local council meeting rather than on the state legislative level–on a Fox News segment “two or three years ago.”

And finally, the Friday debate will indeed go on

, with or without an advocate for English Only. The reason for bailing?

Crafton says that he’s leaning towards pulling out because “(Nashville First) says there’s not going to be enough time” and “we’re not sure it’s really going to help us anyway.” Harvey, for his part, is naturally a little confused: “My argument was, you’re going to reach tens of thousands of households the Friday before the vote. That would seem to make sense to me.”

…

And when asked for what, specifically, he’ll be doing instead of the debate, all Crafton could offer was a vague platitude: “We’ll be implementing our plan.”

…

“If Karl Dean doesn’t have enough time to come,” he said. “I don’t see why I should.”

Uh, Councilman, it’s your initiative. “Implementing the plan” sounds a little Apocolypse Now-ish to me.