Butting Heads

Eric Fortmeyer of the Nofziger campaign and Watson's man Alfred Stanley in a heated exchange photograph by Alan Pogue

It was 9:10am on the steps of City Hall, and the Chronicle photo shoot of the consultants was not going well. "Oooh, I just can't stand to be near scum," shivered veteran progressive consultant Mark Yznaga, referring to a particular party he didn't care to name.

"You'd better hurry up and take it because I can't deal with these sleazeballs much longer," echoed Max Nofziger's mayoral campaign coordinator Linda Curtis. No wonder she was antsy: As a campaign finance reformer, she was surrounded by the very people whose jobs she is striving to take away. In no time, Curtis and fundraiser Alfred Stanley, who is working on Kirk Watson's mayoral bid, were at each other's throats. (Curtis and Stanley haven't been civil to one another since Stanley charged in the Statesman that Nofziger was merely seeking the mayor's seat because he couldn't find a paying job in the private sector.) "She's in everybody's face," Stanley explained after he and Curtis exchanged words. "He's a sleazeball who's afraid I'll take his job," explained Curtis.

But the fireworks really began when Nofziger volunteer Eric Fortmeyer came to Curtis' defense. Stanley was not intimidated. "I'm not afraid of you," he yelled, as he loomed over the skinny Fortmeyer.

"You shouldn't threaten [Curtis] that way," Fortmeyer snapped back, fists clenched.

"I wasn't threatening her," Stanley spat. "I was verbally lashing her, and that's my right."

Cooler heads prevailed, and the party broke up. Hey -- breakfast at Las Manitas, anyone? -- Audrey Duff