The Buzz

City watchdogs have for years asked Councilman Frank Ury to supply information about his employer and other sources of income. Without such data, conflicts of interest are unknown. How many jobs has he had during his six years on the council, including his consulting business? In 2009, he was working for ICW Group (an insurance company with offices in San Diego), but no one seems to know where he works today or if he has a job.

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If the redistricting process results in splitting the 71st Assembly District, would Ury receive support from the Orange County Republican Party if he ran for the new Assembly seat? His endorsement of a Democrat in the 2010 city election should have ended any Republican Party support for him. A former Republican officeholder said of Ury, “His only consistent ideology is self-promotion.”

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With the November 2012 General Election 18 months away, challengers posturing for Mission Viejo City Council include political flamethrowers Greg Woodard and Wendy Bucknum. Two council seats will be up for grabs in 2012, and incumbent Cathy Schlicht has indicated she’ll run again. Ury is the other incumbent up for reelection. Anyone watching council meetings can observe Ury’s lack of concern for city business or his constituents. An elected official who knows Ury well says he is enduring the boredom of council meetings because he wants to run for the OC Board of Supervisors when Pat Bates terms out in 2014.

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The two sides that vied for control of the California Republican Assembly during the April 15-17 CRA election are still at odds. The losers (supporting challenger Karen England for CRA president) circulated an email last week, soliciting $25 donations from members on their side to continue a lawsuit against CRA. The effort is primarily led by one person on behalf of delegates who were deemed ineligible to vote in the April 17 election. Taking part in the shenanigans was Greg Woodard, identified as “Newbie” in his posts on another blog. Newbie entered local politics during Mission Viejo’s battle over Measure D, which was on the June 2010 ballot. Those opposing the measure, including Newbie, launched a campaign of lies funded by a special interest group from out of town. Newbie lied again last week, claiming he has been a CRA member for “about a year and a half.” Those who know him say he joined in November 2010.

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Obama on April 27 released a copy of his "long form" Certificate of Live Birth. This should not be confused with the original birth certificate, requested by those questioning his eligibility. But, it doesn’t matter if he were born in Hawaii, Texas, Maine, Florida or any other U.S. state. A candidate for U.S. president must be natural born to citizen parents (reflects 16th Century English law). Remember, Obama’s father was Kenyan, thus disqualifying Obama from presidential candidacy. It’s a matter of national security. For by qualifying as a natural born candidate, all risk of allegiance to any other country is hereby avoided. Because the Framers did not want a candidate that had any allegiance to any other country (especially England), they designated “natural born.” This issue is not going away.