Bucknum Campaign Update

Bucknum Campaign Update
Part 3

Wendy Bucknum is running for a council seat in the November election. If Mission Viejo voters understand who and what Bucknum is, she’ll finish in last place on Election Day.

Part 1 of this series identified Bucknum as a professional lobbyist in the housing industry ( http://www.missionviejoca.org/html/article3105.html ). Part 2 documented the donations of her special-interest financiers – apartment builders, consultants and property owners who hope to benefit from Bucknum’s support for high-density housing ( http://www.missionviejoca.org/html/article3106.html ).

Part 3 addresses Bucknum’s lengthy list of endorsements. To the uninformed voter, the list is impressive. To those who know how she collected the endorsements, it is disgusting.

Upper-level elected officials endorsing Bucknum know about her lobbying job because she’s lobbying them. At every political meeting they attend, Bucknum is there as head cheerleader for her employer’s industry. Elected officials who sell their votes get “donations” to their campaigns from Political Action Committees and similar sources, which voters generally don’t hear about. If voters knew, they would throw out almost every incumbent in every election. However, voters also need to beware of challengers who represent special interest. The money trail could not be more obvious than in Bucknum’s campaign.

  • Some of Bucknum’s endorsements came from such lower-level elected officials as Central Committee members and political club presidents. One such Central Committeewoman told why she endorsed Bucknum in 2012:
  • Central Committeewoman: “I endorsed Wendy because I serve on a board of directors with her, and I was concerned about friction if I didn’t endorse her.”
  • Mission Viejo Watchdog: “Do you know what Wendy does for a living?”
  • Central Committeewoman: “She told our group she works for Laguna Woods.”
  • Mission Viejo Watchdog: “Do you know she’s a lobbyist and her employer is Professional Community Management?”
  • Central Committeewoman: “No. She didn’t say anything like that.”

When pressed about her employment, Bucknum refers to herself as a “legislative liaison.” By the time she sends out her first 2014 campaign mailer (paid for by apartment builders, consultants and others wanting high-density housing projects), all voters should recognize Bucknum as a professional lobbyist for the housing industry.