Recall Update

The election to recall Councilman Lance MacLean will likely occur on Feb. 2, 2010. The council will set the date during the Oct. 19 meeting. Text of the agenda item can be found below.

Recall proponents say they’re satisfied with the timing of the election. One of them emailed, “Everyone who signed the petition already knows why MacLean should be removed, so this isn’t the beginning. We’ve worked hard from the time we started gathering signatures in March.”

Mission Viejo activists who attended the Western Conservative Political Action Conference in Newport Beach on Friday learned about regional perspectives on the recall. When Jon Fleischman (political consultant and FlashReport publisher who resides in Orange County) chatted with a blog contributor, he indicated he expects MacLean will be recalled.

Another political consultant who attended the WCPAC meeting said, “The outcome has been clear for months. MacLean’s only supporters are apologists, and they won’t be a factor. Having his friends defend his behavior is not a campaign.”

Having no campaign workers isn’t new to MacLean, who has had no activists or volunteers supporting him since 2002.

The campaign against MacLean intensified during the summer. One of the recall volunteers commented, “We spoke with thousands of residents during the signature drive, and we didn’t just ask them to sign the petition. We brought everyone up to speed about what has happened on the council. When we handed out flyers with links to news stories, many people went home and researched online. These are informed voters, and MacLean isn’t going to fool them with slick mailers about his stellar performance in America’s safest city.”

From the Oct. 19 council agenda: No. 20, Special Municipal Election - February 2, 2010:

Recommended Action:  (1) Adopt Resolution 09-XX Calling and Giving Notice of the Holding of a Special Election on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, for the Submission of the Question of the Recall of Council Member Lance MacLean and the Election of Candidate to Fill the Vacancy if the Recall Prevails; (2) adopt Resolution 09-XX Requesting the Board of Supervisors of the County of Orange to Render Specified Services to the City Relating to the Conduct of a Special Municipal Election to be held on Tuesday February 2, 2010; (3) adopt Resolution 09-XX Adopting Regulations Pertaining to Candidates Statements Submitted to the Voters at an Election to be held on Tuesday, February 2, 2010; (4) adopt Resolution 09-XX Amending the Fiscal Year 2009–2010 Budget to Pay for the February 2, 2010, Special Election for the Submission of the Question of the Recall of Council Member Lance MacLean and the Election of a Candidate to Fill the Vacancy if the Recall Prevails; and (5) direct the City Clerk to schedule the adoption of the resolution citing the election results and the administration of the oath to the newly elected Council Members [sic] for March 1, 2010, or as soon as possible thereafter.