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Lobbyist Runs for Council Seat Has anyone noticed how many endorsements Wendy Bucknum has from elected officials? These are folks she’s been lobbying – it’s her job. Newcomers running for office usually have few endorsements, but Bucknum’s list runs off the page. Bucknum presents herself to Mission Viejo voters as a mom and community volunteer. She doesn’t describe what she does for a living, but her job at Professional Community Management (PCM) is to lobby elected officials. Bucknum knows elected officials – not as a mom and community volunteer in Mission Viejo, but as a lobbyist for her employer. Citizens are sick of lobbyists and the elected officials who sell their votes instead of representing constituents. Check the following links, particularly the first one, to learn about Bucknum’s background: http://ww2.pcmintranet.com/pr/2010/10-0503-PCM_CAI_CLAC.pdf From the first link, lobbyist Bucknum in 2010 presented Assemblywoman Diane Harkey with her industry’s Legislator of the Year award. In return, Harkey in 2012 lobbied members of the GOP Central Committee to endorse Bucknum for a city council seat. However, the Central Committee on Sept. 17 didn’t endorse her. (Only Cathy Schlicht and Ed Sachs received the endorsement of any Republican organization, the California Republican Assembly. http://www.missionviejoca.org/html/article233.html ) By the Sept. 5 OC GOP meeting, Bucknum had lobbied four of the six members on the endorsing committee. They were so “sold” on supporting her, nothing fazed them, including photographs of Bucknum campaigning in two elections for a Democrat and pictures of her house with a Democrat’s sign next to a union sign in her yard. Mission Viejo residents will have an opportunity on Nov. 6 to vote for one of the finest lobbyists in the housing industry. Bucknum won an award for lobbying in 2012 (second link above). Presenting the award was Bucknum’s fellow lobbyist, Andrew Fourtin ( http://www.opensecrets.org/revolving/rev_summary.php?id=25092 . Bucknum even teaches seminars on how to lobby elected officials. Her employer should be so proud. Bucknum brags about defeating Measure D in Mission Viejo, claiming it was an anti-business initiative. Measure D was defeated in the 2010 June Primary when more than $100,000 was donated by special interest to fund a campaign of lies. Measure D was on the ballot to protect property rights of individuals. Special-interest mailers convinced Mission Viejo voters they should have no vote in rezoning. With Measure D’s defeat, the power to rezone major parcels of property remains in the hands of the Mission Viejo City Council. A developer can get a zone change (e.g., from open space, recreation or commercial use) to high-density apartments with three council votes. No developer has had any trouble getting three Mission Viejo council members to sell their votes. Developer “campaign donations” to Mission Viejo council members have ranged from $1,500 to $11,000 per vote. Bucknum says she participates in Republican organizations. For years, she’s been a member of the Capo Valley Republican Woman Federated. Here’s the catch. Working women join groups that meet at night. CVRWF meets on Wednesday mornings from 9:00 to 11:00. Does anyone think Bucknum takes half a day of vacation to hear a guest speaker? She also goes to Friday meetings (during the day) of the Laguna Woods Republican Club. It’s her job! Her employer, PCM, is the property manager of Laguna Woods. Watch for a stream of nasty mailers from Bucknum’s supporters – real estate agents, “South County protectors of business” and a one-man organization in San Juan Capistrano, Reed Royalty of OC Taxpayers Association, who tried to promote an airport at El Toro. Anyone who knowingly votes a lobbyist into office either has screws loose or is waiting at the trough. |
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