The Buzz

The biggest surprise about the Feb. 2 recall election of Lance MacLean was the close outcome. Nearly everyone correctly predicted MacLean would be recalled. Informal surveys by the pro-recall group (at storefronts and by calling precinct lists) found that residents wanted to recall MacLean by a wide margin. In the event MacLean claims he had the support of those who didn’t vote, surveys found he did not.

***

During the Feb. 1 council meeting, opponents of the recall lined up to make public comments. As a noteworthy twist, almost none of them said anything favorable about MacLean. Among those speaking against the recall was former councilwoman Sherri Butterfield, who was found guilty of numerous Brown Act violations and trounced when she ran for reelection in 2002. Her comments probably didn’t help the anti-recall cause.

***

When discussing the removal of campaign signs after the election, a recall supporter said, “Just let the deputies union and MacLean’s supporters take down our signs. They’ve taken nearly all of ours during the campaign.” All kidding aside, the pro-recall supporters quickly picked up their own signs after the election.

***

What do voters think of automated phone calls? Here’s a reaction from a Mission Viejo resident: “I had been out of town following a death in the family before the election. When I returned home and listened to phone messages, I expected to hear the voices of friends and neighbors who were concerned about me. Instead, I had a number of robocalls from the likes of Trish Kelley and the deputies union. Calls like that are tacky at any time, and they were particularly offensive last week.”

***

Join the Citizen Power Campaign by attending a rally at 10 a.m. on Sat., Feb. 13, at the Slidebar in Fullerton. The purpose is to support Unplug the Political Machine by qualifying the Paycheck Protection Initiative for the ballot. A message from the campaign: “Unlike the rest of us, public employee labor unions don't have to ask their members for a political donation, they just take it. Labor union bosses legally extract money from the paychecks of public employees to fill the coffers of their political slush funds.” The $100,000-plus from the deputies union to interfere in Mission Viejo’s recall of Lance MacLean should serve as a memorable example.

***

All the outsiders and all of Frank Ury’s moneymen couldn’t put MUK together again.

***

Here’s a question for anyone who believed the false statement that recall supporters were eager to end the OC Sheriff’s Dept. contract. Who would replace OCSD – the Keystone Cops? While OCSD might not be popular with everyone, a city-run police department under the thumb of an ethically challenged city manager sounds a lot worse than OCSD.