Recall – What’s Next?

Supporters of the effort to recall Councilman Lance MacLean published a legal notice in the Feb. 13 OC Register. They’ll next provide the proof of publication to the city clerk, along with two copies of the recall petition for gathering signatures. When the clerk approves it, they’ll have 160 days to get approximately 9,350 signatures to qualify the recall for the ballot.

On Feb. 12, MacLean responded to the eight grounds for recall. His statement was published in the OC Register:

"I have been honored to represent you since 2002 and I am proud of my verifiable accomplishments. In conjunction with ALL my City of Mission Viejo council colleagues Kelley, Ury, Ledesma and Schlicht, I have delivered on my promise to improve our quality of life: safest city in the nation, balanced budget with $28,000,000 reserves, expanded Murray senior/community center, improved traffic with signal coordination and street widening, renovated recreation centers, parks and medians. The proponents of this recall want to GUT our quality of life. They have no problem frivolously spending $250,000 taxpayer dollars for this special election. Led by five failed council candidates, this petition is a cruel personalized character assassination using fabrications to attempt a political coup to promote their previous unsuccessful agendas: firing city staff, establishing business license taxes, destroying cell phone coverage by removing antennae's, closing the Animal Shelter and choking traffic with unworkable roundabouts on major arterials. Despite these unwarranted personal attacks, I have been a consistent advocate for residents resulting in lower taxes, safer neighborhoods, schools and parks. Send a message to reject their dirty political change by voting NO RECALL and return hope for our city's future. For more information go to www.lancemaclean.org

MacLean mentions “choking traffic,” but he apparently forgot to deny that he was in court about a year ago for choking a fellow employee at UCI. When asked about it by a Register reporter, he lied about his name and age – as if it were some other Lance MacLean who was charged with assault and battery.

Following publication of MacLean’s Feb. 12 response to the recall, readers posted online remarks to the article in the Orange County Register
http://www.ocregister.com including the following excerpts:

The Marine wrote: “Recalling MacLean will be one of the best things concerned citizens can do for our city. Mission Viejo politics needs to be cleaned up, and MacLean is one of the dirtiest of the bunch. MacLean does not serve the residents of Mission Viejo; He is a self-serving politician who voted for a 100% increase in council members’ monthly stipend and voted for giving LIFETIME medical insurance to council members who manage to sit for 12 years. This is ridiculous, council positions are NOT EVEN JOBS, let alone full-time jobs! In most communities, MacLean’s actions and subsequent arrest at UCI would have gotten him removed from office. MacLean, with his uncontrolled juvenile behavior, tantrum throwing, and violent outbursts, is a major liability for Mission Viejo. Who knows what will happen the next time he goes off? He could cost the city millions of dollars in a lawsuit stemming from one of his rampages.”

lopedevega wrote: “MacLean does not deserve lifetime medical benefits and a doubling in salary because he has shown himself to be a vindictive, self-serving politician with a history of poor judgment, poor impulse control and acts of aggression. Why hasn't the City of Mission Viejo acted in the same responsible manner that UCI did in terminating MacLean? Every single one of his statements reads like the excuses of a child and the lying and avoidance of responsibility of a sociopath.”

caldad wrote: “Don’t forget that two successful council members stood tall and signed as part of the 51 proponents. None of these council candidates initiated the recall, which was done by grassroots citizens, but they know well about MacLean's self-serving, big spending, anti-resident, promise-breaking ways. Not to mention the embarrassment and huge potential liability to the city from another act of anger.”