City Campaign Update, Sept. 12

Seven weeks to go until the Nov. 7 election, and the slamming and sliming continue. While several candidates were busy placing signs, Diane Greenwood’s team members were focused on muckraking during the past week. Her campaign manager escalated personal attacks from the past two weeks by emailing additional hit pieces to all county Republican officials.

Another of Greenwood’s team members was busily pumping bilge into an email blast. He seemed to pride himself on uncovering one candidate’s DUI (driving under the influence) violation in the 1970s. His email asked, “What would the members of MADD think of this?” Here’s an answer from one member of MADD who lost a family member in a car crash.

“What are they doing, digging around in someone’s personal records to find something? That’s disgusting.” Too bad for Greenwood, but an attack for attack’s sake is transparent. Additionally, there’s the issue of using the pain and suffering of others – opening old wounds – for political gain.

Greenwood’s campaign manager appeared at the Sept. 11 county Republican meeting, where he failed to sink an incumbent, Councilwoman Trish Kelley. After weeks of incessant sliming, he spoke to the Central Committee’s endorsements committee members. According to those in attendance, the members listened to his attack against Kelley and, moments later, they recommended that the Central Committee endorse her. The full committee had met on Aug. 21 and voted against endorsing her, but she’ll get another whack at it. Without the attack from Greenwood’s campaign manager, Kelley’s boat may have sunk on its own, as she failed a basic test by attempting to raise taxes.

One person who attended said, “It was difficult to measure the backlash against [Greenwood’s campaign manager]. Kelley and MacLean have already been voted down by the entire committee, and the initial leaning of the group on Sept. 11 was to let it stand as no endorsement for Kelley. The committee members may have reacted to the attack by reversing the full committee’s correct decision.”

Other observations from the Republican meeting came during the introduction of Justin McCusker, the phantom council candidate being promoted by Councilman Frank Ury. All other Mission Viejo council candidates spoke for themselves, but Ury jumped in by saying County Republican Chairman Scott Baugh asked him to get a Republican candidate for the Mission Viejo council, and Ury chose McCusker. Considering the council already has five Republican council members, and McCusker is the tenth registered Republican vying for three open seats, does that make sense?

In addition to McCusker having no presence in Mission Viejo, the vast majority of his financial support may come from out of town. Why would an out-of-town money man – John Lewis of Orange – want to buy a council seat in Mission Viejo? In 2002 and 2004 Lewis similarly directed cash into city campaigns, only to watch those he supported ignore his “special requests” for clients – except Ury. The real priority is the need to get a second on the council for Ury, who apparently wants large, affordable apartment projects and rezoning of the commercial area at La Paz and Marguerite. Ury has tried to propose a regional park, estimated at $100 million, billing Mission Viejo residents so everyone else can use it, which is happening to a degree with parks, sports fields, the library and other “free” city facilities. Then, there’s John Lewis’ agenda, and that’s a whole other matter.

Six people on the county’s committee recommended the party endorse Kelley and McCusker. Kelley will again have to try her luck with the full committee. McCusker will have to see if two-thirds of the full group will agree that the county should interfere in a city election by endorsing someone who can’t be bothered with participating in his community. Fortunately, Mission Viejo only residents will decide on Nov. 7.

Also noteworthy last week, a Mission Viejo council candidate contacted a printing firm to produce his mailers. After moving forward on one day, the printing firm reversed the following day, stating they would work with no Mission Viejo council candidates who weren’t “John Lewis’ candidates” – Justin McCusker and Diane Greenwood. This is one city election no one should sleep through.

It was a week of stink bombs, and those who launched them ended up smelling the worst.