Carol Rudat Watch: Rules, Shmules

If you live or work in the beautiful City of Orange, you'll may noticed these new campaign sings that began appearing last week:

These were the work of the Carol Rudat campaign, although you wouldn't know it by the signs, since they omit anything identifying who paid for them -- a violation of campaign law. Not that following campaign law is a major priority for Carol "The ends justifies the means" Rudat.

Carol Rudat's disregard for campaign finance law is ironic given that in the Non-Partisan Candidate Evaluation Council slate I received today, Carol Rudat promises she "will vote for tougher campaign finance laws."

That's not the only promise Rudat has thrown into the shredder.

On August 15, Carol Rudat signed the "Code of Fair Campaign Practices" pledge. Rudat promised, among other things, that she "shall not use or permit the use of character defamation, whispering campaigns, libel, slander, or scurrilous attacks on any candidate or his or her personal or family life."

In fact, you can see Rudat's husband Dave -- the interim Orange County Deputy CEO now on leave to help his wife's carpetbagger campaign --putting up one of the above-mentioned illegal, pledge-breaking signs.

There's a higher resolution version here.

Since Dave is putting up an illegal campaign sign, one has to wonder if he asked the property owner's permission to put up the sign.

Comments

[Chip Ahlswede]

That is really unfortunate to witness. I am glad someone was there to catch all of this on film.

Mr. Bilodeau doesn't deserve this kind of treatment at all. However to see evidence that it is directly coming from one of the other candidates is more than disappointing.

Hopefully this issue will resolve itself.

[OCNative]

Actually, according to page 35 of the FFPC's Campaign Disclosure
Manual 2: Information for Local Candidates, Superior Court Judges,
Their Controlled Committees, and Primarily Formed Committees for Local Candidates, lawn signs do not have to have the disclaimer.

[Shawn Fago]

That dude needs to learn how to operate a ladder. I though he was going to break his neck on a few different occasions.

[Orange Native]

Well, that makes it all better doesn't it?

If these signs fall under the section you cite, then why are the Rudats' now slapping a sticker on these signs identifying who paid for them?

But even if you're right, Carol Rudat is still breaking her signed promise not to do this sort of thing -- and her husband Dave -- the No. 2 guy in county government -- is helping her with an anonymous hit.

How much more eveidence do we need that neither of these people possess an ounce of integrity?

[laura]

That is freakin' awesome video!

[DanC]

awesome video. Busted. She should be soundly rejected by voters in Orange.

[Clarity at last!]

Now I understand! Ever the public servant, Denis was doing a public service by taking down the Rudat signs. I'm waiting to see a mashup of the two videos, Dave putting them up and Denis taking them down. At least Dave does it in daylight, and not skulking around at night. Is this a wacky election or what? I say vote for whichever candidate DOESN'T own a camcorder.

Stay tuned for the new Fox special: When Candidates Attack!

[Steve Burt]

Whodat? Rudat? Carol received her city of Orange candidacy papers using the address of a remodel in Orange she wasn't living in. The OC Registrar of Voters, Neil Kelly, who was found to have broken election laws by independent investigators, gave her a free pass by failing to investigate and verify her residency. Carol's husband, Dave, is the interim OC Deputy CEO and, what appears to be, unethical slime-sign hanger is the county executive that agreed to give Neil Kelly a free pass. We need a person like Pat Bates on the OCBOS so corruption has a watchdog.

[Dave Rudat]

I've fallen, and I can't get up!

I hope the county has good health insurance!

[Dave Rudat]

Rules shmules, what ever it takes to get wifey in the whitehouse!

[Dave Rudat]

By the way, please don't forget my costar in my feature film, she's the one with the pony tail, CAROL!

[Me!Me!Me!]

Did any notice on her signed Code of Fair Campaign Practices, she doen't even know thw date of the election, she wrote Nov 6th. 6th or 7th, whatever it takes. That's one sharp pencil.

[Carol info]

Carol,
Who are you endorsing for city council?
Smith?
Murphy?
Waland?
Douglas?
Finn?

Let us know

[Sick and Tired]

At this point, I am so sick and tired of both Carol and Denis, I am voting for Finn and Smith! At least they have some self respect!

[Go Denis Go!]

I doubt Denis is in legal trouble with support from our future DA- Todd Spitzer

[Sick and Tired]

Okay, how about Smith and Douglas? I am asking for sincere feedback.

[Jubal]

That's it. The multiple aliases from the same IP is one thing. Dragging Denis' kids and Bridget Amrbiz into the mix crosses the line. You're banned, slime ball.

[Zoom in]

The sign isn't illeagal. It has a clear print of the FPPC# and you can see " dat" on the far left. I digitally zoomed. Check it out. I really don't see anything illeagal but maybe I'm wrong.

[Congratulations Councilman Bilodeau!]

I'm glad someone like Mr. Bilodeau is willing to put up with this campaign nonsense and run for office. He's exactly who we need to lead us during the next 8 years. Thank you Denis for all you are doing! You are proving that a normal resident of Orange can get elected as opposed to a woman from Newport Beach who wants to buy a seat on the council.

[Is the Election over]

Wow, Denis won, and none of us voted! Amazing.

[Is the Election over]

And he won the re-election in 2010....thanks Nostradamus! Do you have any good stock tips?

[So Sad!]

The Rudat's are running two campaigns. One for Carol and one 75K effort to smear Denis Bilodeau and his family. How becoming of the deputy county CEO.

[Wake up and smell the Daffodils!]

Mr. Bilodeau has my vote because he and his family live in Orange and he is running to serve the public. This is a sad final chapter to the Rudat's attempt to buy power in our fair city and I'm glad we will finally be rid of them. I trust the people of our great city to see through the schemes of the Rude-ats and look forward to the Bilodeau victory laps around the plaza on Tuesday night! Go Panthers! Go Denis! Good Night Carol!

[Wow...]

You know I like Denis, and am voting for him. But sheesh, calm down. You act like he is the second coming. Last I heard, he isn't going to turn water into wine or anything. And you are voting for someone just because they live in Orange and want to serve the city?

You don't exactly sound like an informed voter, but kinda naive and well... dumb.

Darren Smith, Frank Finn, Jeremy Wayland, Robert Douglas, Mark Murphy, John Caglia, Phil Martinez also all live in the city of Orange and want to serve Orange. So the criteria you cited was pretty stupid. Also last I checked, Denis didn't go to Orange High and was never a Panther. So don't go yelling Panther Pride.

Like I said, he is an intelligent individual and will make a great councilperson, but calm down and get a check on reality.

[VPHS]

Please don't hold it against any of us Villa Park High alumni that we share our alma mater with Carol Rudat.