Over the Edge (Again)

Ex-councilman Lance MacLean was recalled in the Feb. 2 Special Election. Despite his official removal, there he was on Feb. 15, sitting in the center seat on the dais at the beginning of the council meeting. Does this council operate in a parallel universe?

Here’s the essence of a comment from a blog reader. city staff with the blessing of the city attorney and the majority of two (Kelley and Ury) found a new way to short circuit the rules. The reader emailed, “Look at rule No. 5, (*11384) Majority Vote Required to Recall the incumbent.

"If the majority vote on the question is to recall, the incumbent shall be removed from office upon the certification of election results and swearing-in of his or her successor."

After the election was certified by the Registrar of Voters, MacLean was no longer a member of the city council. Dave Leckness should have been sworn in, which could have been done during a private ceremony with his supporters. A formal swearing in could have taken place at the next meeting, which did happen.

To top it off, after MacLean was removed from office on Feb. 2, he was paid for the entire month of February.

Comments on an OC Register story included a reader’s question about why Saddleback Valley News and OCR haven’t investigated the allegation of MacLean’s domestic violence. SVN employee Niyaz Pirani asked the reader for more information.

A reporter who gets a news tip should have the initiative to pick up the phone. Instead of asking readers’ opinions, why didn’t the reporter call MacLean to ask about his history of domestic violence? If that call doesn’t provide newsworthy information, the next call should be to the president of the deputies’ union. A police union that threw at least $105,000 into an anti-recall campaign has access to police records. Information about the destruction of MacLean’s court records in September 2009 is available for public review.

This matter isn’t going away despite OCR’s refusal to reveal MacLean’s most egregious anger issues. When comments first broke on OC Weekly two weeks ago, the statement about OCR and SVN covering up for MacLean was an allegation. A question now is how much longer critical information will be ignored by the media.