SVN Performs in City Circus

The Mission Viejo City Council majority members – Trish Kelley, Frank Ury and Dave Leckness – tout themselves as being popular and in touch with residents. They are neither. In their reelections (Kelley and Leckness in 2010 and Ury in 2008), the large majority of residents didn’t vote for any of them

There’s no need to list reasons the majority members are unfit to serve when most voters already get it. In 2002, Mission Viejo voters dumped two arrogant and abrasive councilwomen, Sherri Butterfield and Susan Withrow. Among other factors, activists weren’t united in 2010 as they were in 2002, even after agreeing to work together.

Another factor in 2010 was City Hall’s stranglehold on Saddleback Valley News. In 2002, letters to the editor informed the community. Watchdogs and other leaders spoke out, and SVN published their letters instead of censoring them.

After mid-2009, no letters critical of City Hall appeared in SVN. City Manager Dennis Wilberg had tried putting his shills’ names on pro-City Hall letters, but he got creamed in responses from the community. City employee Keith Rattay made the mistake of speaking with a reporter, and she published his obvious lies for all to see. Wilberg next met with SVN and its owner, the Orange County Register. Activists captured Wilberg’s emails, which left no doubt he intended to silence the community’s voice in SVN.

Read this week’s Buzz column about Mayor Dave Leckness’ so-called article in Patch.com. City Hall had a big week, getting even more of its puff pieces into the Sept. 30 SVN. SVN editor Freda Freeman put her name on “Festival to unveil Evans’ book,” on page 6. Another one is on page 9, “Percy Jackson creator visits MV,” attributed to The Orange County Register. What kind of journalism is this? On page 2, the Mission Viejo reporter is allegedly Kristy Chu. Call the number listed, (949) 454-7343. Where is Chu?

Is Freda Freeman SVN’s one-person “staff”? Check page 3 with a heading of “News from the Community.” Except for reprints of briefs by OCR staffers Chris Bouckly, Erika Ritchie and Scott Martindale, all other items are attributed to “staff.” Photos on SVN’s Sept. 30 cover have no attribution, and the photo of a city eyesore (pillar) on page 3 is a “courtesy photo” with no attribution. Foreclosure notices and City Hall are SVN’s mainstays.

Three arrogant and out-of-touch council majority members are spending the city’s reserves and failing to hold City Hall administrators accountable. No one shines a light on them except for privately operated city blogs (City Hall’s publication isn’t a blog).

For another revelation on the corruption in City Hall, read Brad Morton’s expose on Keith Rattay’s new contract, http://missionviejodispatch.com/budget/controversial-city-hall-severance-pay/#comments . Why would City Manager Wilberg allow such a ridiculous agreement, and why would any council member vote to approve it? Keep in mind Wilberg covered his own backside during the 2-1-09 council meeting with a similar contract. Rattay likely knows all about Wilberg’s concerns and may have some of his own.

Mayor Dave Leckness Wants You
by Joe Holtzman

Attention:

All Transients, Hobo’s, Drifters, and Hopeless Homeless

Mayor Dave Leckness wants you, and your friends for his “camp site” on Oso Creek Trail in Mission Viejo. Stay as long as you like !!

• Come spend your leisure hours with the Mayor. Watch Dave clean his shoes of Dog Poop!!
• Drive Dave’s golf cart on the trails.
• Bask in the sun, by and under the various pillars, statues, and Wayfinder signs.
• Free meals will be served at the newly rebuilt Murray Community Center.
• Each guest will be given a voucher to enjoy “The Word of the Month Character movies”.
• Free seminars with Frank Ury, who will lecture you on why you’re a Bum.

Brought to you by: The Committee to re-elect Frank. Ury

California Republican Assembly Update

Dear Fellow SOCRA [South Orange County Republican Assembly] members - some of you may recall that I spoke at our May meeting about the rather contentious April CRA convention and the lawsuit filed against CRA by Tom Rogers, Tim Lefever, Scott Voigts and the Mid-Empire Republican Assembly.

As an update - below is a message from CRA President Celeste Greig about the dismissal of the lawsuit.

Celeste mentions that the plaintiffs are no longer members of CRA.  I should explain that.

At the board of directors meeting of July 23, 2011, the Board found that several CRA units and individual CRA members had committed membership and delegate fraud (examples: submitting delegate lists of people who were not registered Republicans, were not actually members of that unit, units that had not paid dues in years, transferring people into units without their knowledge and consent, listing people as CRA members who did not consent or even know they were being signed up as members, etc., etc.). The Board also voted to end Tom Rogers and Tim Lefevers' memberships in CRA for suing the organization. Scott Voigts' membership was suspended for one year for the same reason. The Mid-Empire Republican Assembly was de-chartered for suing the organization. Some of the other individuals who were found to have committed violations of CRA's bylaws had their memberships terminated as well.

All of the individuals were invited to attend the July 23rd Board Meeting, present evidence in their favor, have others speak up for them and defend themselves. NONE of them chose to do so.

What you may also not know is on June 16th the Court in Sacramento granted CRA's motion to transfer this matter to the California Republican Party's Dispute Resolution process (section 3.09 of the CRP bylaws) and "stay" (freeze) the lawsuit against CRA.   For your information, the Plaintiffs in the lawsuit opposed CRA's motion (known as a Motion to Compel ADR). Thankfully, the Court agreed with CRA that political disputes belong in board rooms and voting booths, not in court rooms.

Of course, being one of those helping with the decision making and defending CRA in Court, I am glad the Plaintiffs finally saw fit to dismiss their lawsuit.

None of the members of the CRA Board of Directors enjoyed or took any pleasure in taking the actions we did on July 23rd. But we are an activist organization that prides itself on truth and playing by the rules. To find that some people in CRA, including some former leaders, engaged in membership and delegate fraud to influence the outcome of CRA endorsement votes or CRA elections, was very distressing - but we also felt we had to take action to weed out this problem. I liken it to cancer surgery, if you perform the surgery it is painful and awkward but if you don't go forward with the surgery the patient (here CRA) will eventually die. When you think about it, you realize that the fraud being done by some was diluting the votes and efforts of other honest delegates and units who were participating in the CRA processes as set forth in the bylaws.

The Board felt it was our fiduciary duty to preserve the integrity of CRA by taking these unpleasant but necessary actions

I know this has been an emotional rollercoaster for some of you. You have likely been contacted by some people (or by e-mails) and told "interesting" stories about what happened at the CRA April Convention and the July 23rd Board meeting. Some have been contacted to join a new organization formed by those who lost the elections at the CRA convention, some of them being those whose memberships were terminated by CRA in July. I have a copy of their bylaws and it is simply a copy of CRA's bylaws and functions to compete against us.

I invite any of you who would like more information about this to call or e-mail me and I will be happy to discuss with this with you and answer any questions I can.

For now I am engaging in the Presidential race and working to make CRA the most potent conservative political force of activists in California and within the Republican Party - to keep CRA the Conscience of the Republican Party. I encourage you to pick a Republican Presidential candidate and get involved in the campaigns. CRA will be holding its Presidential Endorsing Convention from Jan. 6 - 8, 2012, in Garden Grove! I hope all of you will plan to attend that convention - it promises to be great!

I also encourage you to get involved in what I consider the most important political campaign next year (second only to defeating President Obama for re-election). The Stop Special Interest Money Now Act will be on the ballot in either June or November next year. If we pass this act (which will stop unions and corporations from taking members’ and employees' money via payroll deductions for political purposes), it will change the face of electoral politics in California like a 10.5 earthquake in Sacramento. The public policy playing field will be leveled in our favor! The facts about union and corporate spending in politics are staggering - this act will put the brakes on that! Call or e-mail me if you would like more information or go to http://www.stopspecialinterestmoney.org

Blessings,
Craig Alexander,
President South Orange County Republican Assembly

Below is a message from CRA President Celeste Greig:

Dear CRA Unit Presidents,
Good news! The lawsuit against the California Republican Assembly has been dismissed!

As you know, some disgruntled folks decided to sue the California Republican Assembly over political disagreements. Their inappropriate lawsuit cost us a lot of money, created controversy, wasted a lot of time, and temporarily gave credibility to some of the most ridiculous arguments ever made in public. They even demanded a new Convention and new elections, even though they lost by a landslide at the last Convention and the next Convention is right around the corner!

We have just been notified that they have dropped their outrageous lawsuit. I would say that they were “laughed out of court,” but I am not an attorney, so that is probably not the right legal phrase to describe their pitiful retreat. In any event, their lawsuit is over, the CRA elections are over, the plaintiffs are no longer members of CRA, and we can now set aside the petty bickering and internal fights to focus on the 2012 elections.

The most important results of this lawsuit is that it served as an expensive reminder that political disputes should be settled in meeting rooms, not in court rooms. The Superior Court in Sacramento County reminded the plaintiffs that they must comply with the California Republican Party dispute resolution rules before bringing this kind of litigation in the future.

I want to take this opportunity to thank our CRA General Counsel, Rafael Icaza, for his good work in fighting this politically-inspired lawsuit. I also want to thank Tom Hudson and Craig Alexander for the hundreds of volunteer hours they spent in providing legal briefings during this very sad episode, and all the others who assisted in defending CRA.

In the midst of this good news, I need to mention that, unfortunately, we still need money to pay off the thousands of legal costs that we incurred to protect and defend against this unwarranted attack on CRA.

Your donation to the CRA Legal Defense Fund will be greatly appreciated. Please send your checks to the: CRA Legal Defense Fund at: 9250 Reseda Blvd., PMB 281, Northridge, CA 91324.

As we go into the 2012 election cycle, we need to concentrate on nominating solid conservatives and electing them, not raising money for legal costs.

Thank you so much for your support and encouragement. On to victory in 2012!

Sincerely,
Celeste Greig
President, California Republican Assembly

German Day at Concordia

Plan to come to Concordia University Irvine this October 5 for an exciting day-long conference supported by the German Consulate-General and the Goethe Institut in Los Angeles. Germany has one the most successful economies in history. German products excel in quality. Germany is a leader in industrial design. German companies are doing well in California. Hence this year's German Day at Concordia University Irvine (CUI) on Wednesday, October 5, will be a celebration of German entrepreneurship. Organized by The League of Faithful Masks (LFM), CUI and the German-American Business Association (GABA) of Southern California, this event will present high-powered presentations and discussions, including:

• Wolfgang Drautz, German Consul-General, Los Angeles
• Stephan Hollmann, CEO of Pacific Aviation and Lease Management
• Michael Traub, CEO of the BSH Home Appliances Corp.
• James Lowe, Attorney
• Professor Nikolaus Hafermaas, Dean at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena

Participate in the GABA-sponsored forum discussion of 20th-century design principles

The day-long event concludes with a rare symphonic enchantment: a concert by the award-winning 82-piece Landesjugendorchester Youth Orchestra of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

For more information, visit Concordia's German Day website or contact the Office of the Provost, Concordia University Irvine at (949) 214-3201 or email karen.strubbe@cui.edu

Further information is also available at www.germanday.org

Tickets for all German Day events are available to Purchase Online

Non-government Events

Following is a sampling of events and activities that are not funded by taxpayers or promoted by the Nanny State. Please support private enterprise.

Farmers Market, San Juan Capistrano, Wednesdays from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Historic Town Center Park, (949) 493-4700.

Farmers Market, Laguna Hills, Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Laguna Hills Mall, (714) 573-0374.

Style Week at Irvine Spectrum and Fashion Island, check daily schedule through Oct. 8: http://www.styleweekoc.com/CalendarSwitch.aspx . Exclusive, one-of-a-kind events at both centers throughout the week, including runway shows, designer appearances, interactive retail opportunities and dozens of in-store promotions. http://www.shopirvinespectrumcenter.com/CenterEvents/2516.aspx

Concert, St. Petersburg Symphony, Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m., Soka Performing Arts Center, Soka University, 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo, (949) 480-4000, info@soka.edu, http://soka.edu/news_events/events/2011/10/st.-petersburg-symphony-.aspx

“A Wunderbar Day,” German celebration with programs and entertainment, Wed., Oct. 5, Concordia University, CU Center, 1530 Concordia West, Irvine, (949) 214-3201, http://germanday.org

Orange County Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival, Thurs. Fri., Sat., Oct. 6, 7, 8, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., consumer products and techniques; visit the Website for schedule and a coupon for free admission to the show, OC Fair and Event Center, Buildings 14 and 16, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, (949) 723-6660, http://www.quiltcraftsew.com

Accordion Festival, Sun., Oct. 9, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., Orange County Marketplace, Fairgrounds, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, (949) 723-6660, http://www.ocmarketplace.com

St. John’s Holiday Boutique, Fri., Oct. 14, 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., and Sat., Oct. 15, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., St., John’s Episcopal Church, 30382 Via Con Dios, Rancho Santa Margarita, (949)888-4595, ext. 374.

Walk to End Alzheimer’s, Doheny Beach, Sat., Oct. 15, “rain or shine.” Participate by walking, donating and/or volunteering. Other walk events: Anaheim on Oct. 29, Huntington Beach on Nov. 5, Buena Park on Nov. 12 and Tustin on April 21. (800) 272-3900, http://www.alz.org/walk/findawalk_results.asp?FormSent=1&SearchType=zip&ZipSearch=92691&MaxDistance=30&memo ry=&SearchByZip.x=23&SearchByZip.y=14

“Lake Eeeerie,” Lake Mission Viejo, Fri.-Sat., Oct. 21-22, 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Halloween activities, limited to Lake Mission Viejo members and their guests. (949) 770-1313, http://www.lakemissionviejo.org

First Saturday Art Walk, Santa Ana Artist Village, Sat., Nov. 5, 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., venues open: Grand Central Arts Center, OC Center of Contemporary Art, Santora Arts Building (28 galleries, restaurants and shops), ample (free) parking is located across the street at the Santa Ana Train Depot on the southeast corner of Santa Ana Boulevard and Santiago Street. Visit the Website for additional information, including a map: http://www.aplaceforart.org/artwalk

Movies, Edwards Kaleidoscope Stadium 10 in Mission Viejo, 27741 Crown Valley Pkwy, (949) 582-4020, get show times, watch movie trailers, see what's coming soon at
http://www.moviefone.com/theater/edwards-kaleidoscope-stadium-10/32/showtimes

Political and Government Events Calendar

Orange County Board of Supervisors, Tues., Oct. 4, 9:30 a.m., Board Hearing Room, First Floor, 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana, (714) 834-3100. http://www.ocgov.com/ocgov/Government/Board%20of%20Supervisors

Rush Limbaugh Club of Orange County, Sat., Oct. 8, 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., featured speaker will be Col. Joe Snyder, USMC (Ret.) and president of the Rush Limbaugh Club of Orange County. His topic is “The Founding Fathers and the Essence of Their Creation,” Casta Del Sol Golf Club, 27601 Casta Del Sol Road, Mission Viejo, RSVP (949) 487-5288, http://www,rushlimbaughcluboc.com

Musical performance by Lotus Bud Gu Zheng Academy, Sun., Oct. 9, 2:00 p.m., Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. Free concerts are held Sundays, except when otherwise noted, and are open to the public. Doors open at 1:15 p.m., and concerts begin at 2:00 p.m., 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 364-1120, http://events.nixonfoundation.org/concerts/

Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees, regular meeting Mon., Oct. 10, 7:00 p.m., 33122 Valle Road, San Juan Capistrano, agenda and supporting documentation are published on the website 72 hours prior to a meeting, (949) 234-9200, http://capousd.ca.schoolloop.com

Saddleback Valley Unified School District board meeting is scheduled for Tues., Oct. 11. 6:15 p.m., and Tues., Oct. 25, 6:15 p.m., “if necessary,” 25631 Peter Hartman Way, Mission Viejo, (949) 586-1234, http://www.svusd.k12.ca.us

Moulton Niguel Water District meetings: Investment on Wed., Oct. 12, 9:00 a.m., Engineering and Operations on Mon., Oct. 17, 9:00 a.m., Finance and I.T. on Wed., Oct. 19, 9:00 a.m., Board of Directors on Thurs., Oct. 20, 5:30 p.m., and Citizens’ Advisory Committee on Fri., Oct. 21, 9:00 a.m., 27500 La Paz Road, Laguna Niguel, (949) 831-2500, http://www.mnwd.com/board-of-directors/agenda.aspx

Western Political Action Conference, Sat., Oct. 15, 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., free, limited registration; presenters include Congressman Tom Price (R-GA). OC GOP Chariman Emeritus Tom Fuentes will be honored for his lifetime achievements during a reception. Irvine Hyatt Regency, 17900 Jamboree Road, Irvine, (916) 448-4234, http://www.WesternCPAC.com

Santa Margarita Water District board meeting for October has not been posted as of 10-1-11. SMWD, 26111 Antonio Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita, (949) 459-6420, http://www.smwd.com/about-us/meeting-agendas.html

Capo Valley Republican Women Federated luncheon, Wed., Oct. 19, guest arrival at 11:30 a.m., lunch served at 12:30 p.m., program includes “Fashions for Change” by Carved Horse clothing store of SJC as a fundraiser for Advocacy Programs, Marbella Country Club, 30800 Golf Club, San Juan Capistrano, RSVP to (949) 240-6799 or esue39@cox.net

Saddleback Republican Assembly, Thurs., Oct. 20, 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., program to be announced. Norman Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo, (949) -360-1717.

Taste of Capo, Capistrano Valley High School, Fri., Oct. 21, 6:00 p.m., $15 presale and $20 at the door. More than 20 booths, good-sized samples of food from each restaurant, 26301 Via Escolar, Mission Viejo, (949) 364-6100.

South Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees, Mon., Oct. 24. Meeting times unless otherwise posted: open session convenes at 5 p.m.., followed by adjournment to closed session, open session reconvenes at 6:00 p.m. or 6:30 p.m., adjournment by 9:00 p.m. Ronald Reagan Board of Trustees Room, Room 145, Health Sciences/District Offices Building, Saddleback College, 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo, (949) 582-4999, http://www.socccd.edu

Republican Club of Laguna Woods luncheon, Fri., Oct. 28, 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., featured speaker will be Assemblyman Don Wagner, Clubhouse 5 on Punta Alta in Laguna Woods. For reservations call Barbara Pearson, (949) 770-8377.

El Toro Water District Community Advisory Group Meeting, Thurs., Nov. 3, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch served at 11:30; meeting starts at noon, 24251 Los Alisos Blvd., Lake Forest, (949) 837-0660, http://www.etwd.com

The Buzz

Celebrate entrepreneurship during a one-day conference at Concordia University Irvine on Wed., Oct. 5. Presentations and discussion will feature Wolfgang Drautz (German Consul-General, Los Angeles), Stephan Hollmann (CEO of Pacific Aviation and Lease Management), Michael Traub (CEO of the BSH Home Appliances Corp.), James Lowe (attorney) and Professor Nikolaus Hafermaas (dean at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena). The conference will conclude with a concert by the award-winning 82-piece Landesjugendorchester Youth Orchestra of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. For information, visit the website ( http://www.germanday.org ), call Concordia University Irvine, (949) 214-3201, or email karen.strubbe@cui.edu

***

Patch.com published an article that was attributed to Mayor Dave Leckness, but what are the chances Leckness wrote it? Approximately zero. Check it out: http://missionviejo.patch.com/articles/the-mayors-vision-for-a-happier-mission-viejo. This genre of drivel is readily identifiable as a product of the drivel writers in City Hall. One of them is paid more than $100,000 annually (plus benefits) for drivel production. A San Juan Capistrano councilman just got busted (by Patch.com) for plagiarism – putting his name on stuff he didn’t write.

***

Below is Dave’s response to a comment to “his” happytalk article. By contrast, Dave’s response resembles his own writing. If readers don’t recognize the reader comments as smarmy concoctions solicited by City Hall, follow the trail of bread crumbs. Dave lacks writing skill, and those who have received his emails notice he begins almost every sentence with “I.” Check his ballot statement as well: “I-I-I.” Here’s Dave’s post on Patch.com. The two writing samples are worlds apart.

“Hi Dwight, I agree about the center at La Paz and Marguerite. One of the issues we have (and it's a big one) is there are 12 different owners in that center. Trying to get all to agree to some form of facelift for the center is difficult - not impossible but difficult. It is at the top of my list, I had an architect draw up some suggestions and they were fabulous - arches - walkways - fountains - and a new entry to the Oso Creek Trail”

***

So, Dave says he “had an architect draw up some suggestions” on how to improve private property. Is he saying he had an architect acquaintance donate work to property owners who did not ask for such drawings? If the city paid the architect, did the council approve such a gift of public funds to private property owners?

***

From Tea Party Patriot Robert Homesley, host of the Tea Party talk radio show: “Are you sick of being falsely told you are a bigot by the traitor mainstream media-left simply because you do not wish to watch the willful conquering of our beloved Judeo-Christian nation by Islam, which HATES what we stand for? Are you tired yet of being lectured because you object to the Ground Zero Mosque and Sharia Law being taught in American schools and classrooms? So are we, and so is our guest this week.

“Pamela Gellar, author of the new book "Stop the Islamization of America," is the founder, editor and publisher of Atlas Shrugs.com and executive director of the American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI) and Stop Islamization of America (SIOA). She is the author of “The Post-American Presidency: The Obama Administration's War on America” with Robert Spencer (foreword by Ambassador John Bolton), published by Simon & Schuster, and a regular columnist for World Net Daily, Andrew Breitbart's Big Government and Big Journalism, the American Thinker and other publications. She has been on many Fox News shows (Hannity, O'Reilly, etc.), as well as many other major news television networks and multiple newspapers. Please check out her website for a full bio: http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/

Long Live America is San Diego and Orange County's only AM radio Tea Party show. Nobody else truly fights the patriot's battle here in So Cal but us. We are on KCEO AM 1000 from 8-10 p.m., and all show info is on our website www.longliveamerica.com , please call in at 760-931-1604, God Bless.” – Robert Homesley.

***

From Capt Jim Kinney USN (ret), “How much longer can the liberal media continue to hide, obfuscate, spin and defend the president and consider themselves professionals?

Every day new information comes out on the Internet and through nontraditional reporting sources of scandal after scandal, problem after problem…Fast and Furious…Solyndra…censorship of critics…donor payoffs…runaway federal agencies…a seemingly unending list of problems with this inept, incompetent administration, and yet the established core of American journalism continues to abandon its constitutional responsibility as the watchdog of government in favor of an ideologically driven, partisan approach to news reporting attempting to influence the outcome rather than report the facts.”

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Quote of the week from Patriot Post: "Even though 50 some percent of the American people think the economy tanked because of the last administration, that's not relevant. What's relevant is we're in charge." -- Joe Biden

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January 20, 2013: The End of an Error.