Mission Viejo Buzz - 01/19/08

The Buzz column

Who will become the next Sheriff of Orange County? Mission Viejo resident Jack Anderson became Interim Sheriff on Jan. 14 – the day Mike Carona resigned. Anderson will serve until county supervisors select a permanent sheriff. A Mission Viejo activist commented, “I think Jack’s chances of getting the permanent job will improve if he’s in the interim position long enough.” As another scenario, the battle to find a replacement could be so contentious and drawn out, Anderson essentially is the replacement.

              ***

Bloggers and others around the county credit (or blame) watchdog Shirley Grindle for speeding up Carona’s resignation. She pressed the issue of whether he could receive free legal help while in office or if it constituted a gift (that legally cannot exceed $396). The topic motivated a reader of this blog to comment: “Why not question the pro bono media consulting and PR advice Carona received after he was indicted? I don’t see a difference between lawyers’ fees and other professional consultants’ fees.”

              ***

An OC Register columnist observed: “Sheriff Mike Carona didn’t just resign a few months too late … he resigned one election too late.”

              ***

Councilman John Paul Ledesma on Jan. 17 announced he’s closing his campaign as a candidate for the 71st Assembly seat of Todd Spitzer, who is terming out this year. Ledesma was elected to the Mission Viejo City Council in 1998, and he won additional four-year terms in 2002 and 2006. John Paul and his wife Sarah are expecting their first child in May.

              ***

A group of Capistrano school district constituents received word last week of an appellate court decision. The group had filed suit following the failed 2005 effort to recall all seven CUSD trustees. As part of their complaint, they said Registrar of Voters employees instructed petition circulators that they could fill in some of the addresses of those signing seven petitions. The ROV reversed its position by disqualifying such signatures in the official count. The appellate court cited state law stating those who sign a recall petition must also fill in their address. Constituents who initiated the appeal could take it to a higher court, but the outcome wouldn’t be timely regarding CUSD holdover trustees. All four remaining Fleming-era trustees will likely be gone after the November 2008 election – probably long before the court case would play out. Dealing with questionable acts of Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley is a whole other story.

              ***

City activist Brad Morton’s blog, http://missionviejodispatch.com, identified Mission Viejo council members who have been attending lobbyists’ parties. Councilmembers Frank Ury, Lance MacLean and Gail Reavis attended Roger Faubel’s holiday party. Faubel is handling the PR effort for Sunrise, the developer proposing a high-density housing development on the Casta del Sol golf course. Campaign finance records reveal Councilmembers Ury, MacLean, Reavis and Trish Kelley have accepted campaign donations from Faubel. Ury also attended a party hosted by Curt Pringle, a politician/lobbyist who pushed the high-density housing project on east Los Alisos in Mission Viejo. A Mission Viejo resident reacted: “I can’t remember a time when council members accepted campaign donations from developers without voting for their projects. Council members are selling their votes”

              ***