Corrupt Leaders Damage Their Own Party
Staff editorial

Orange County Republican Party Chairman Scott Baugh hosted several get-togethers during the summer, and lots of people came. He invited political clubs and volunteers throughout the county to a series of parties in his Huntington Beach home. Following his barbeques and soirees, all was quiet. Almost no one signed up to help the county effort after Baugh had graciously allowed the masses to traipse through his house.

The organization Baugh chairs has lost its way. Instead of building the party, Baugh has surrounded himself with lobbyists and others on the take. He’s used the office to enrich and empower his cohorts – developers, contractors and quite a few wayward politicians.

The Sept. 12 OC Register documented the Republican Party’s five-year decline in Orange County. The party’s true believers are slipping away, and Baugh is a key factor. As an example in Mission Viejo, Baugh in 2004 dumped dedicated volunteers to anoint his buddy, Frank Ury, as the city chair. Ury used the position to divert unsuspecting workers into his personal campaign after they called the county office to volunteer. A few gullible residents walked their neighborhoods for Ury, carrying an illegal flyer he created for himself in his council campaign. The flyer had no ID number and no information to indicate he paid for it, as required by the Fair Political Practices Commission. Complaints to the county office – reporting Ury to Ury’s backers – went unanswered. Ury has been unable to recruit volunteers on his own, and he’s a roadblock to those wanting to help their party. Many local workers quit volunteering after being siphoned into Ury’s council campaign instead of the Republican Party.

Baugh’s loyalists on the Central Committee have a history of endorsing corrupt incumbents and unworthy newcomers. In 2006, Baugh made a big deal of announcing he’d found his own candidate, Justin McCusker, “to make sure a Republican was in the Mission Viejo council race.” McCusker joined nine other Mission Viejo Republicans running for council, and he took eighth place on Election Day. McCusker, a carpetbagger who lived in Mission Viejo for a short time, moved elsewhere after he lost. This year, Ury finagled the endorsement for another Mission Viejo council challenger, Richard Atkinson, who is unknown to residents. Atkinson was quickly caught in lies, including how long he’s lived here and his alleged claim that he’s endorsed by the California Republican Assembly. He has no such endorsement from the CRA or its local unit, Saddleback Republican Assembly, which on Sept. 18 endorsed Cathy Schlicht and Neil Lonsinger.

In order to give Atkinson the county endorsement on Sept. 15, Baugh jettisoned another city candidate, Cathy Schlicht, who appeared to have the required number of votes at the Central Committee’s endorsing meeting. Some of those doing the counting said she made it, but Baugh decreed she didn’t. He refused to allow a recount. If needed, those controlling the county endorsements create rules on the spot to disqualify any candidate they don’t wish to support.

As in 2006, Mission Viejo voters can reject the county’s meddling by sending Baugh a similar message: “NO” on Ury and “NO” on Atkinson.

City Council Campaign Update
Editorial staff

On Sept. 18, the Saddleback Republican Assembly endorsed city council candidates for several South County cities. For Mission Viejo, council candidates Cathy Schlicht and Neil Lonsinger received SRA’s endorsement, which also carries the endorsement of the California Republican Assembly.

All Republican candidates were considered. For Mission Viejo, council incumbent Frank Ury was among those not endorsed. Another Mission Viejo candidate who wasn’t endorsed, Richard Atkinson, may have falsely claimed that he received the group’s endorsement. Although vote tallies weren’t given, CRA Vice President Karl Heft announced that the results were overwhelmingly in favor of Schlicht and Lonsinger.

Several Mission Viejo residents sent emails to this blog after they received invitations to attend fundraisers for Atkinson. None attended. One of the events was held Sept. 17 at the Arroyo Trabuco Golf Clubhouse. Most city candidates say that the high prices at Arroyo Trabuco would diminish the net gain. Did Atkinson raise money on Sept. 17 or add to his campaign debt? He bragged a month ago about putting $67,000 into his campaign. Given that donations from residents add up slowly ($25 being low, $99 being high), everyone should ask who is funding Atkinson.

Councilmembers Ury, Lance MacLean and Trish Kelley indicated several months ago that they’d raise cash for Atkinson by pressuring city vendors, who would be warned not to donate to anyone else’s campaign. Are these three threatening to end contracts and/or committing Brown Act violations by implying they’ve discussed lining up three votes?

Atkinson has another fundraiser (or debt-raiser) scheduled at Tortilla Flats, which was a favorite fundraising spot for a former regime – Susan Withrow and Sherri Butterfield. Activists appreciated Susan and Sherri’s choice of locale, as they could sit in the bar and see everyone who was attending the fundraiser in the adjacent meeting room. In the last big bang for the old queens, their fundraiser for 25 people was very well attended by their immediate families, several city vendors, their campaign managers and no residents.

Back-To-School Nights began last week for Capistrano Unified School District with events at Bathgate, Hankey and Newhart. Campaign teams handed out flyers for Schlicht and Lonsinger at Bathgate and Hankey, but no other city candidates were there. While incumbent Frank Ury might be acting as if he’s above handing out flyers, he probably doesn’t have any volunteers who would help him. Atkinson also hasn’t emerged as a candidate, and he seems to have only Councilwoman Trish Kelley campaigning for him. Challenger Judy Rackauckas campaigned at Newhart with a team of teenagers, and activists who talked with her said she’s likeable. They report her platform seems to be city government reform.

Candidates Lonsinger and Schlicht might be concerned about negative mailers as hit pieces against them. Councilmembers Ury, MacLean and Kelley had been gunning for Councilwoman Gail Reavis until she announced on Aug. 8 that she wouldn’t seek reelection. A Political Action Committee had already been formed to accept donations for a negative campaign against her. Residents should expect the PAC money will be used instead against Lonsinger and Schlicht.

Toll Road Hearing on Sept. 22
by Robin Everett

The Commerce Department posted the list of speakers for the upcoming hearing regarding the Foothill-South Toll Road. Click here to see the list of speakers. As you can see, members of the public are being given little opportunity to speak. Just remember that your voice can be heard just by showing up and wearing your "Save the Park" T-shirt and waving your sign. Stop by our sign-in booth to receive a T-shirt and sign. There will also be an opportunity to submit written comments at the hearing.

Are you coming to the Commerce Hearing? It is so important that every one of us comes to the hearing on Mon., Sept. 22, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

The TCA is trying to circumvent the will of the people. We need to make our voices loud and strong so that the federal government cannot ignore us. Without your help, we could lose nearly 60 percent of San Onofre State Beach, including the San Mateo Campground. The proposed route would destroy the last pristine watershed in Southern California and the best surf break in North America.

Whether you plan to speak or just want hold a “Save the Park” sign, please attend the most important hearing the toll road fight has faced yet. Sierra Club’s Friends of the Foothills Campaign needs your help to make our voices heard.

To catch a ride on the bus from Orange County, meet at the Trestles Parking lot off Christianitos at 8:30 a.m. Buses will leave the Del Mar hearing at 9 pm. Please RSVP at robin.everett@sierraclub.org or call 949-361-7534 in order to save your seat. If you plan to drive yourself please note that the Del Mar Fairgrounds charges $9 for parking.

CUSD Update
Editorial staff

Capo Valley High School is finally in line to get its long-awaited theater. After years of effort, research and fundraising, two Capo moms have led the way in getting results. They’ve often worked behind the scenes, especially when requesting public records and balancing how to fund a new project while improving older facilities in Mission Viejo. A city audit of taxpayer money collected in Mission Viejo led to some of the information about how the theater could be funded. Both women are parents of CUSD students, so they had to walk a fine line – doing the research while being careful not to provoke any officials to react against them.

Plans for the theater were discussed during a CUSD facilities meeting on Sept. 16. The project isn’t a pipe dream, as funding for the $13-million project actually exists. Most of the money will come from CFD 87-1, and the balance will come from a state grant.

The natural order of a project seems to include “credit junkies” who attach themselves after the fact and put their names on the accomplishments of others. Beyond the CUSD parents who have worked so hard, taxpayers will fund 100 percent of the $13-million theater. Councilman Frank Ury was recently appointed by Mayor Trish Kelley to serve on a committee to deal with school issues. With Ury running for reelection, will he now tell CUSD parents he gave them a theater? If this sounds ridiculous, it’s the same type of campaigning he did in 2004 when claiming he was an “anti-airport fighter from the beginning” of the 10-year battle against a commercial airport at El Toro. Ury tried to put his name on the effort mere days prior to a vote on the final ballot measure regarding El Toro. Anti-airport activists were outraged at his lie of “fighting an airport from the beginning.” He apparently had no idea what was involved or how long it had taken.

On another topic, four reform candidates are running in the Nov. 4 election. Two elected in the June recall election, Sue Palazzo and Ken Maddox, are running to keep their seats. Two other reform candidates are Mike Winsten and Jack Brick. Candidates running against the reformers have the support of the teachers union, and they appear to be Fleming-regime loyalists. During the lengthy struggle that reform-minded parents and community supporters have waged against the old guard, they’ve uncovered enough wrongdoing to get voters’ attention. Reformers have exposed malfeasance and criminal acts of those associated with former supt. James Fleming. On Election Day, the last old-guard trustee, Duane Stiff, will likely be gone.

Newpaper articles have lately focused on the cost of the special election in June, more than $600,000 to recall two old-guard trustees. Some constituents said the election was a wasteful process when the district desperately needed funds for essentials. If reform candidates maintain their majority on November 4, they’ll be able to move forward on eliminating some of the real waste. How many top administrators can be eliminated without any impact whatsoever on the quality of education?

The Buzz

Is the Mission Viejo Community Foundation out of money again? Word circulated last week that the Foundation’s administrator is gone, and it is requesting more money from the city in the form of a grant. Approximately $400,000 in city grants propped up the Foundation for its first two years of operation. Instead of having residents on the board of directors – dedicated community members who have the ability to raise cash – the Foundation was run by “suits.” Business people and others from such groups as the Chamber of Commerce printed expensive brochures and hired a director (at $90,000 a year?). No one was sure what the original director did, but raising money was apparently not on the list.

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Six weeks into the signature drive for the Mission Viejo Right-To-Vote Initiative, the effort is approaching the halfway point toward getting the required 6,100 signatures. Petition circulators have several more months to qualify the initiative for the ballot. Volunteers are walking their neighborhoods and working at storefronts, including Albertsons on Olympiad, Trader Joe’s, Ralphs on Marguerite Parkway, Ralphs on Santa Margarita Parkway and Pavilions. When passed, the initiative would require a popular vote for zone changes.

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What’s the status of the golf course? The property is for sale. Sunrise announced several weeks ago that it is “withdrawing its plan” to build housing on the golf course. No one knows if Sunrise will return after the election or if another housing developer will make the next bid. Some folks are proclaiming the threat of housing on the golf course has passed. A city activist said, “Those who are saying the golf course is saved aren’t facing reality, and the initiative is the only way to protect it. With council members like Lance MacLean and Frank Ury pushing for more housing, only one more vote is needed. Trish Kelley rezones everything in sight, and Richard Atkinson looks like he’d rezone the golf course as well. Ury and MacLean are supporting Atkinson, so read between the lines.”

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The deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 4 election is Oct. 20. The registration form must be postmarked no later than Oct. 20, which is 15 days prior to the election.

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Councilman Lance MacLean’s outburst during the Aug. 18 closed session was recorded, and the 30-second segment can be heard on Brad Morton’s blog, http://missionviejodispatch.com. MacLean’s comments to Reavis, including, “Shut the hell up,” seem to get a pass from others in the room. Reavis said she left the closed session for her safety. While some people might question if she was in any real danger, MacLean’s anger issues are well known, including his arrest for assault and battery at a concert in Irvine. When a UCI co-worker of MacLean didn’t unlock a restroom door as directed, MacLean picked him up by the neck and pinned him against a wall. Those who question if he’s a problem should observe MacLean’s body language, sullen moods and angry remarks during council meetings.

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The mysteriously initiated proposal to sell the city’s cell-tower contracts is back in the picture. The Investment Advisory Commission decided several weeks ago that the contracts continue to be a good source of revenue for the city and nothing should change. However, Councilman Frank Ury is up for reelection, and he needs campaign cash. How will he finance his campaign if his buddy Tony Ingegneri of ATS isn’t rewarded with lucrative commissions for the proposed sale? Community activists suspect a business arrangement exists between Ignegneri and Ury, who introduced ATS to city hall.