Voter Recommendations
Orange County Tea Party, http://octeapartyblog.com/the-oc-tea-party-blog/

There are some great candidates running for office.  The Orange County Tea Party Blog recommends you vote for the listed candidates below.  This list will be updated periodically. We hope you will be encouraged.

Governor of CA:
Tim Donnelly – is currently a State Assemblyman. He is a true proven conservative who has a “never give up spirit” with lots of positive energy. He has strong family values and a hard-work ethic. He holds steadfast to the principles of free enterprise, defending liberty, restricting government regulation, and upholding the Constitution.

California Insurance Commissioner:
Ted Gaines – currently in the State Senate and has been a solid conservative voice.  He is a 5th generation Californian and has been a direct insurance broker for the past 30 years.  He has great family values and has filed a lawsuit against Covered California to stop the cancellations of policies and to demand more accountability. He has a high 95.6 Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association rating.

Orange County Board of Supervisors:
For the 5th District
Robert Ming – currently Councilman of the City of Laguna Niguel, former Mayor. He is a proven conservative, has strong family values and a hard-work ethic as well as a strong advocate for the 2nd Amendment. The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association endorses him. He led the charge in his City to save all the money needed before remodeling its City Hall. They had no need to borrow money, nor did they go over budget. He cites integrity, fiscal responsibility and leadership as the missing elements for solutions in Orange County.

For the 2nd District
Michelle Steel – currently a member of the State Board of Equalization. In this position she has actually returned money to taxpayers and has fought against new and raising taxes.  She states her goals as supervisor would be to root out waste, fraud and abuse from the county budget; reform public employee pensions to protect taxpayers; protect our coastline and beaches; support local law enforcement; and reduce regulations and red tape on small business.

CA State Assembly:
73rd District
Jesse Petrilla – is currently a City Councilman for the City of Rancho Santa Margarita. He is an officer in the CA Army National Guard and has a history of grassroots leadership and advocacy, and as a result has raised more than $100,000 with over 200 donors.  He has strong family values and a hard-work ethic. He has a proven record as a fiscal conservative and has pledged not to raise any taxes.  (Jesse has been a target of a dirty smear campaign of half-truths by one of his opponents.)

65th District
Young Kim – former Congressman Ed Royce staffer.  She lists improving the economy, improving education opportunities, fixing the state budget, and making public safety a priority as her commitments.  See Orange County Tea Party Blog Kelly Hubbard’s article on her.

California State Superintendent of Public Instruction:
Lydia Gutierrez – serves as an elected Board member on the Coastal San Pedro Neighborhood Council and is on the Education and Public Safety Committees. She has a tremendous history of serving, has been dedicated to education and has a great love for teaching children. She has strong family values and a strong work ethic.  She stands against Common Core. Lydia founded the National Organization of Parents and Teachers For A Quality Public Education.  See Orange County Tea Party Blog Kelly Hubbard’s article on Lydia.

Orange County Superior Court Judge:
Jeff Ferguson – currently deputy district attorney. He has been a friend to the tea party and has worked hard to seek justice and protect neighborhoods from narcotics traffickers, street gangsters and other thugs.  His tenants are responsibility, accountability and fairness.  He has been awarded Prosecutor of the Year four times by the OC Narcotics Officers Association, among many awards and recognitions.  He has strong family values and a hard work ethic. He has been endorsed by former San Clemente Sheriff Bill Hunt: “He is dedicated to our U.S. Constitution, especially our Second Amendment right . . .”  See OC Tea Party Blog Kelly Hubbard article re Jeff.

U.S. Congress:

Dana Rohrabacher – incumbent Congressman for the 48th District. He is on the House Committee of Foreign Affairs and is a strong advocate for national security and has been a leader in the fight against amnesty. He was the only OC Congressman who voted against the latest raise in the debt ceiling. Endorsed by Freedom Works.

Tom McClintock – incumbent Congressman, 4th District. We mention Tom McClintock because he is being ambushed by his own party who are seemingly collaborating with Democrats to defeat him.  Apparently, he is too conservative for the GOP.  Congressman McClintock has been a stalwart conservative, many times being the lone CA Congressman voting to protect the Constitution. Endorsed by Freedom Works.

Igor Birman – He is a candidate for Congress, CA 7th District. He has been Congressman McClintock’s Chief of Staff since 2009, as senior policy and strategy advisor. He has a unique love for America and its freedom and liberty having come from the Soviet Union with his family as a refugee.  He has strong family values and hard work ethic. He graduated from UC Davis and is a licensed attorney. Endorsed by Freedom Works; appeared several times on the Glenn Beck Program. He was also a speaker at the recent Freedom Works Kentucky FreePAC event.

45th Congressional District – TBD

U.S. Senate:
It is imperative constitutional patriots win races in the Senate.  This is probably the single most important thing we can do to thwart and reverse the onslaught of national socialism.  We highly recommend the Senate endorsements of Freedom Works and Senate Conservatives Fund.  Please read up on these endorsements and donate to them.

Secretary of State:
Pete Peterson – He understands the voter fraud issues and the regulating barriers for businesses in CA. He is Executive Director of Public Policy with the Davenport Institute and he is a speaker and trainer for increasing civic participation in government. He is also teaching a class at Pepperdine University titled Leadership through Public Engagement.

Orange County Board of Education:
For Area 5
Linda Lindholm – currently she is the Mayor of the City of Laguna Niguel. She is determined to ensure that education taxpayer dollars are spent directly in the classroom and not on administrative bureaucracy.  Current Trustee Robert Hammond, a proven conservative advocate of education, has endorsed her.

For Area 2
Tom Pollitt – founder of the Newport-Mesa Tea Party and on Costa Mesa’s Charter Committee.  He desires to promote parental rights and choices, improve the County’s charter school system, and make sure taxpayer funds go to the classrooms and not the administration. He questions the financial viability of Common Core and its standards. Current Trustee Robert Hammond, a proven conservative advocate of education, has endorsed him.

April 7, 2014: Orange County Tea Party Blog endorses four candidates. More to come later. The four are:

Tom McClintock for Congress;
Tim Donnelly for CA Governor;
Igor Birman for Congress (Northern CA); and
Matt Bevin for Senate (Kentucky).

Wendy Bucknum Campaign Update
Part 14, Don’t confuse politicking with public service

Wendy Bucknum, a professional lobbyist in the housing industry, is running for a Mission Viejo council seat in November. Previous articles in this series document Bucknum’s lobbying activities, the special-interest financiers who are donating to her campaign, how she gets endorsements from elected officials and the payoffs elected officials expect in return for supporting a lobbyist.

Last week on another blog ( https://www.facebook.com/missionviejocommonsense ), an acquaintance of Bucknum attempted to defend her. Articles on that blog have offered full disclosure on Bucknum’s voting record as a commissioner, her political entanglements as a lobbyist and the campaign donations she has taken from special-interest outsiders connected with her employer’s business. All the above information on Bucknum is available to anyone who researches it, and she is required by law to disclose who is funding her campaign for a city council seat. None of the information is “personal.” All of the disclosures comprise what a voter should know about candidates – who they are, what they do for a living and any conflicts of interest they would have when conducting city council business.

Before Bucknum’s acquaintance wrote on her behalf, he should have informed himself about Bucknum’s lobbying job, political connections, refusal to recuse herself from a commission vote in which she had a conflict of interest, and so on. Regarding his implication that Bucknum’s politicking is above a review, perhaps he is unaware of the personal attacks Bucknum made on residents and, particularly, the very personal and nasty hit piece against Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht when Bucknum was a candidate in 2012. A Political Action Committee supporting Bucknum spent $8,000 on the mailer, which consisted of personal attacks and lies.

Not only has Bucknum participated in nasty attacks, she’s been on the front line – writing verbiage, soliciting special-interest money to print and mail hit pieces, and delivering flyers door-to-door – and bragging about her participation. Her words are on the mailers that were distributed citywide – paid for by her circle of special-interest, out-of-town financiers. Public information on who paid for the attacks is readily available in state-required campaign financial reports. There’s no doubt about who did it, and more information is coming.

Bucknum’s defender who posted on the blog says that no one in Mission Viejo is more involved in community service than Bucknum. That’s ludicrous. Bucknum’s so-called community service prior to her campaign was limited to supporting her children’s school and sports and her employer’s special interest. Her activities mushroomed with her political campaign. That doesn’t mean Bucknum never offered a hand to anyone prior to running for office, but that doesn’t make anyone the “most involved resident in the community.” Currently, Bucknum is speaking at council meetings for practically every club, organization or activity in town. By contrast, those who are truly dedicated to a cause generally have only one or two organizations or activities. Bucknum’s announcements, either from the public microphone during council meetings or on her campaign website, cover 20, 30 or more activities.

From the same political playbook, City Manager Dennis Wilberg found a similar citizen to speak for him during a public relations crisis several years ago. “Evelyn” put her name on a letter to the editor of Saddleback Valley News. Evelyn praised Wilberg and his staff for their general wonderfulness. In the first place, how many sane citizens write letters praising city hall’s upper management? Second, the letter was published at the height of Wilberg’s P.R. nightmare. City administrator Keith Rattay got caught in a lie to a reporter about the costs of a city hall party. Evelyn was then pilloried in the press for weeks by other writers of letters, who presented facts contradicting her flowery claims about city hall. Wilberg and Rattay’s annual combined compensation is more than half a million dollars, and they have a team of taxpayer-paid P.R. writers at their disposal. They don’t need a citizen spokesman, but they occasionally bag one.

Flags should go up whenever city administrators or politicians are soliciting bystanders to “say a few words” on their behalf.

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 and non-profit groups.

A Hidden Vine on the Lake wine tasting on Fri., May 9 (every Friday evening), 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., 27772 Vista del Lago, Suite B-15, Mission Viejo, (949) 916-4810, http://www.ahiddenvine.com/wine_tasting.html

WineWorks, live music every Friday, happy hour Tues.-Sat., check the website for wine tastings and other events, 26342 Oso Parkway, Suite 103, Mission Viejo, (949) 582-0026, http://www.wineworksforeveryone.com/tastings-events.php

Soka University events: “An Evening with Branford Marsalis,” Jazz Monsters Series, on Fri., May 9, 8:00 p.m., 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo, (949) 480-4278, http://www.performingarts.soka.edu

Mariachis at the Mission, Sat., May 10, 10:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.; second Saturday of each month, 26801 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, (949) 234-1300, http://missionsjc.com

La Vida Drum Circle, Wed., May 14, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m., group meets on the evening of every full moon (June 13, July 12, etc.). Drummers should bring their drums. Firewood is appreciated for the bonfire, Aliso Beach, Aliso and Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, (949) 275-7544, http://www.lavidalaguna.com/things-we-dig/

St. Kilian’s Recycling Drive, Sat., May 17, 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, held on the third Saturday of each month. Organized by Knights of Columbus; acceptable items include aluminum, paper and plastic. No glass or cardboard. Lower parking lot, 26872 Estanciero Drive, Mission Viejo, (949) 472-1249, http://www.stkilianchurch.org

Cabrillo Playhouse, Sun., May 18, 6:00 p.m., “Local Sunday Sessions,” every third Sunday, three local musical acts, 202 Avenida Cabrillo, San Clemente, (949) 492-0465, http://cabrilloplayhouse.org

Dana Point Art Walk, Thurs., May 29, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Dana Point Art District, 24471 Del Prado Ave., Dana Point, (949) 429-5591, http://www.coastalarcadian.com/

Mount of Olives Church SHARE Food Drive on Sun., June 1, (first Sunday of each month) helps families in crisis, http://moochurch.org/share. Mount of Olives Church, 24772 Chrisanta Drive, Mission Viejo, (949) 837-7467, http://www.moochurch.org/

First Thursday Art Walk, Laguna Beach, Thurs., June 5, 6:00 p.m., member galleries throughout Laguna Beach, including the Laguna Art Museum, 307 Cliff Drive at North Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, (949) 494-8971, http://firstthursdaysartwalk.com/

Laguna Playhouse presents “Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks” with Leslie Caron and David Engel, through June 8, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, (949) 497-2787, ext. 1, http://www.lagunaplayhouse.com

Political and Government Events Calendar

Orange County Board of Supervisors will hold a regular meeting on Tues., May 6, 9:30 a.m., Board Hearing Room, First Floor, 333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana, (714) 834-3100, http://ocgov.com/cals/?ViewBy=7&CalDate=1/15/2013&EventDateID=89649

Moulton Niguel Water District meetings: Personnel and Salary on Wed., May 7, 9:00 a.m.; Engineering and Operations on Mon., May 12, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.; Finance and Information Technology on Wed., May 14, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.; Board of Directors on Thurs., May 15, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., MNWD Main Office, 27500 La Paz Road, Laguna Niguel, (949) 831-2500, http://mnwd.com/board-of-directors-2/

Santa Margarita Water District meetings: Board of Directors on Wed., May 7, 7:00 p.m.; Engineering Committee on Fri., May 16, 7:30 a.m.; Finance Committee will meet on Fri., May 23, 7:30 a.m., 26111 Antonio Parkway, Rancho Santa Margarita, (949) 459-6420, http://www.smwd.com

Rush Limbaugh Club of Orange County will meet on Sat., May 10.The featured speaker will be Linda Paine from the Voter Integrity Project. Breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m., and the program runs from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Cost is $15 for breakfast or the program only for $5.00. The club pays for first-time attendees' breakfast or attendance fee. Casta del Sol Golf Clubhouse, 27601 Casta Del Sol Road, Mission Viejo, (714) 235-1430, http://rushlimbaughcluboc.com/

Nixon Library concert on Sun., May 11, String Theory Quartet, performing classically inspired folk, classic rock and originals. Doors open at 1:30 p.m., and music begins at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Nixon Library, 18001 Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 364-1120, http://nixonfoundation.org/

The Mission Viejo Chapter of ACT! for America will hold a General Meeting on Mon., May 12. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. The meeting starts promptly at 7:30 p.m. and ends at 9:30 p.m., at the Norman P. Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo.

Saddleback Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees will hold a regular board meeting on Tues., May 13, 6:30 p.m. The board meets in the district building, 25631 Peter Hartman Way, Mission Viejo, (949) 586-1234, http://www.svusd.k12.ca.us/

OC Veterans Advisory Council will meet on Wed., May 14, 6:00 p.m. The council meets on the second Wednesday of each month. Veterans Service Office, Conference Room A/B, 1300 S. Grand Ave., Building B, Santa Ana, https://cms.ocgov.com/gov/occr/occs/veterans/advisory/default.asp

Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees will hold a regular board meeting on Wed., May 14, 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/cms/page_view?d=x&piid=&vpid=1232963504734

Capistrano Valley Republican Women Federated, Wed., May 21, 9:00 a.m., at the Marbella Country Club, 30800 Golf Club Drive, San Juan Capistrano. CVRWF meets on third Wednesdays of most months. CVRWF meets on third Wednesdays of most months. Call (949) 240-6799 for reservations, http://cvrwf.org

Saddleback Republican Assembly, Thurs., May 22, 7:00 p.m. SRA meets on third Thursdays (except in July, August and December) at the Norman P. Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo. For information call (949) 769-1412.

SOC912 holds informative and inspirational meetings each month to celebrate America and support the Constitution. No charge to attend; donations are requested to help pay for costs. Light refreshments. The group meets at the Norman P. Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo, http://www.meetup.com/SOC912/events/176179492/

The Buzz

The Rush Limbaugh Club of Orange County has an excellent lineup of speakers for its breakfast meeting on Sat., May 10. Linda Paine of the Voter Integrity Project will present information on protecting and preserving fair and honest elections in California. Also on the program, three candidates for Superior Court Judge will introduce themselves. The candidates are running in separate races, not running against each other: Kevin Haskins, Helen Hayden and Jeff Ferguson. The breakfast begins at 8:00 a.m. ($15 with reservation or $20 walk-in), and the meeting runs from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Email reservations to uhfallpack@cox.net and visit the website at http://www.rushlimbaugh.com . The group meets at the Casta Del Sol Country Club, 27601 Casta Del Sol Road, Mission Viejo

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On Mon., May 12, ACT! for America’s featured speaker will be Robert Spencer, who is a NY Times Bestselling Author and director of Jihad Watch. The topic will be “An Expert on Jihad and Islamic Terrorism Shares His Concerns.” Spencer will present information about the war of political Islam and the dangers of denying it. Doors open at 7:00 p.m., and the meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. The group meets at the Norman P. Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo.

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On Monday, May 5, celebrate Cinco de Mayo at a family-friendly restaurant in Mission Viejo that offers healthy and authentic Mexican cuisine. Taco Mesa, 22922 Los Alisos Blvd., is at the corner of Los Alisos and Trabuco. From the website, “Taco Mesa utilizes an array of organic ingredients – wild-caught fish and natural meats - using recipes that have been passed down through the generations. We prepare our food in small batches to assure ultimate freshness and quality. We don't use canned products or preservatives in our recipes; we also offer a wide range of gluten-free options.” Dine in or take out, (949) 472-3144.

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Absentee ballots will arrive in mailboxes this week. Of interest in Mission Viejo, Councilman Frank Ury is a candidate for OC Board of Supervisors. Ury has a buddy at the OC Register who gives him a boost whenever possible. Despite Ury’s abominable voting record ( http://www.missionviejoca.org/html/article110.html ), good-old-boys around the county can’t be bothered with facts. As for OCR’s other political statements, look at its endorsement in this Primary for Superior Court Judge, Office No. 27. OCR’s choice is a liberal who was appointed by Jerry Brown. In Mission Viejo’s 2012 city election, OCR recommended two special-interest candidates, Frank Ury and professional lobbyist Wendy Bucknum.

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Watch for the May edition of Community Common Sense, which will include recommendations for local and nonpartisan offices. Some interesting revelations about candidates are in store.

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For the May 5 MV council meeting, Councilwoman Cathy Schlicht has added Agenda Item 11 under her council comments: “Resolution in Recognition of the Positive Impact Proposition 13 has had on the State of California and to Affirm our Support for Proposition 13.” If the council approves the Resolution, it will be sent to the city’s legislative representatives in Sacramento. Also under Councilwoman Schlicht’s comments, Agenda Item No. 12 will revisit the Mission Viejo Nadadores’ Facilities Use Agreement with the city. The council majority on April 21 approved a 20-year contract. Councilwoman Schlicht is asking the council to give members of the public an opportunity to vet and review the contract, including rescinding the mayor’s authority to sign the contract without full council review of the final terms.

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