City Council Campaign Update
Thugs leave their mark

All eyes and ears are needed to ensure the 2006 Mission Viejo council campaign is ethical. In 2004, three separate campaigns reported yard signs were stolen or vandalized in nightly, Halloween-style pranks. All three campaigns had eyewitness reports of the culprits, and all leads, including vehicle descriptions, pointed to two people. For years, residents have observed a few thugs who act as if they run the city. They make nasty remarks at council meetings, they shout down and intimidate anyone who disagrees with them, and they demonstrate no respect for the rights and property of others.

In October 2004, City Hall received a call from a homeowners association in San Juan Capistrano. A maintenance worker found hundreds of Mission Viejo campaign signs in a dumpster near the HOA clubhouse. Most were the signs of candidate Nancy Howell, but Gail Reavis, Dan Joseph and Brad Morton’s signs were among the mix. A few Ury signs were tossed in the dumpster as well.

The HOA manager knew the signs had been illegally dumped. She tried calling Ury, as his was the only listed phone number. She said she spoke with Ury and informed him of the dumped signs. She asked him to inform other candidates so they could retrieve their signs. Ury said he would, but he didn’t. Other candidates said they received no such call from Ury. By the time other campaigns heard about the matter, the signs had been taken to a landfill.

A trademark of Ury’s “sign team” in 2004 was to place a Ury sign directly in front of an opponent’s sign. Some opponents’ signs were spray-painted, and other signs were pulled up from the ground and damaged to prevent reuse. Among three campaigns (Reavis, Morton and Howell), more than 1,000 signs were either damaged beyond repair or they disappeared altogether. Those suspected of causing the problems have another dog in the November 2006 fight. Residents should expect to see her signs place directly in front of other candidates’ signs. The city thugs particularly oppose incumbent Lance MacLean, and residents can bet his signs will take a beating.

Anyone who sees a suspect tampering with campaign signs should get a description of the person or vehicle and immediately call the police. Getting a license plate number is crucial. Destruction, vandalism, theft and tampering with signs are crimes. With the help of vigilant residents, the culprits can be caught and prosecuted.