The Buzz column, October 4

Is Councilwoman Trish Kelley having a difficult time getting endorsements from elected officials? A political insider says Kelley has alienated most of her former supporters, and she had to get help from Paul Glaab, an elected official and political consultant, to get endorsements for her. Glaab, who serves on the Laguna Niguel council, might simultaneously be greasing the wheels to get support for his own bids to serve on regional agency boards.

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Trish Kelley spent HOW MUCH on yard signs? According to her campaign’s financial reports, her yard signs cost more than $5,000. That’s a whopping sum – probably two to three times what other candidates are spending to litter the city’s landscapes. Someone who saw the delivery truck laden with her signs referred to it as an “axle-breaking load of signs.” Considering that Kelley has spent the past four years campaigning for herself every day, it’s amazing to see the major portion of her signs being placed on public property instead of residents’ yards.

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Justin McCusker stated at the Casta del Sol forum for council candidates that he wasn’t anticipating running for office this year because he’s busy with two young children. He said, “Community members and businessmen asked me to run.” Would that be community member / Councilman Frank Ury and his lobbyist buddies from the county Republican Party? Watch for campaign financial information about who is funding McCusker’s campaign. The funding will likely come from lobbyists and businesses in San Diego County who have been trying for four years to buy seats on the Mission Viejo council.

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Is it true that council incumbents Lance MacLean, Trish Kelley and John Paul Ledesma have a secret pact not to attack each other while campaigning for reelection? Too bad the council members couldn’t come to a similar agreement not to attack each other during council meetings or in the media. Kelley waged a bitter war against Councilwoman Gail Reavis and tried to knock her out of office during the last election cycle. MacLean has been making surly remarks against other council members for four years. MacLean’s remarks in the L.A. Times calling Mission Viejo residents elitists and bigots should be remembered as voters are marking their ballots.

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Diane Greenwood’s campaign team is so busy stirring up trouble around town, it’s amazing they have time to put up her signs. Her campaign worker who lives in the Mission Viejo Environmental Association HOA took it upon himself to rip into city staff members over a pine tree. The MVEA board had agreed with the city to cut down the tree because its roots were breaking up the city sidewalk. According to a memo, an unsuspecting City Hall secretary “was trashed” as part of his tirade. Greenwood’s team evidently intends to be empowered if she wins a council seat. They use threats and intimidation to get what they want, even when they’re not in power.

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A city hall insider gave an interesting account of a traffic stop. Awhile back, a policeman stopped the car of a resident who is now a Greenwood campaign worker. The campaign worker yelled at the officer, “Don’t you know who I am?” It’s not the typical response to an officer from a motorist who is being pulled over.

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Council candidate Justin McCusker, who apparently served as an intern for Assemblyman Bill Morrow, said he is the most qualified candidate and the only one who has the experience necessary to be on the council. Has McCusker ever worked for anyone but the government? He appears to be claiming credit for anything that had Morrow’s name on it while he worked in the office. McCusker recently referred to himself as a “professor” after claiming he taught a class at Saddleback College. If he thinks he’s a professor, no wonder he thinks he’s qualified for city council after stopping by one council meeting for 15 minutes.