OC Blog

The enemy of my enemy is my friend -Arab proverb

Being a North Countian, I don't know much about former Irvine City Councilman Chris Mears.  We tivo Real Orange everyday at Lurk Manor and see him teamed up with the dislikable Mark Petracca from the Poli Sci Department at UCI every few weeks when KOCE devotes the program to a kind of debate between these two Libs and Rick Reiff and Edison's Jo Ellen Allen on the right.  Mears seems an Irvine version of a limosine liberal who just takes on the conservatives to get on TV.  He's softer than Petracca, but generally just as wrong.

So, says Reiff in his OC Insider column from the latest OC Business Journal,

...Mears says he's been urged to run for mayor this fall against incumbent Beth Krom, an ally of Councilman Agran -- as was Mears before he became Agran's biggest critic.  "I know I'd be Beth ... but the price is too high, personally and professionally."  But Mears says he'd consider running "if someone would take complete responsibility for fund raising and managing the campaign, so I could be a candidate and talk about issues." 

Yea, good luck with that, Mears.  One more Democratic Elitist is just what Irvine needs. 

72nd AD Mailbox: Lots O' IEs

I'd heard there were going to be at least one anti-Marty Simonoff IE in the 72nd AD, courtesy of a certain California Senior Action League PAC.

Apparently, there was more than one. It was more like six sent out - some anit-Simonoff, some pro-Mike Duvall) during the last couple of weeks:

here  (from California Senior Advocates League PAC),

here (from California Senior Advocates League PAC),

here (from California Senior Advocates league PAC)

here (from CRA IE Committee),

here (from California Senior Advocates League PAC)

and here (from California Senior Advocates League PAC).

Ouch.

72nd AD Mailbox: Duvall Hits Simonoff On Taxpayer-Paid Junkets

Ouch! This hit on Marty Simonoff from the Mike Duvall campaign hit yesterday and today: $50,000 in taxpayer junkets.

City councilman have lots of opportunities for junketing to conferences held in pleasant climes. Some pay their own way, other let the taxpayers pick up the tab. Looks like Simonoff chose the latter course.

72nd AD Mailbox: Simonoff Says It's Duvall Who's The Eminent Domain-Loving Liberal

This mailer from Brea Councilman Marty Simonoff's 72nd AD campaign claims he's not the eminent domain abuser -- it's the other guy, Mike Duvall.

Simonoff is not a conservative, but I expect him to pretend to be one during a closed GOP primary election. What's really painful is reading this quote from OC Supervisor Chris Norby:

"Marty Simonoff is a hard-nosed conservative who has proven he will say NO to higher taxes and wasteful spending."

The Chris Norby endorsement just experienced a devaluation.

Among other charges, Simonoff criticizes Duvall for "vot[ing] to spend $180,000 in tax dollars on a spiritual leadership guru'..." [The mailer cites OC blog as a source - gack!] That's not quite right, because a significant percentage of that amount was awarded to Dharma on then-General Manager Blake Anderson's authority without OC Sanitation Board authorization.

I'm not going to make excuses Duvall and the rest of the OCSD Board rubber-stamping this contract and not questioning it. But Mike Duvall was one of the very few Board members who -- even after it came to light -- pressed hard for full public disclosure and getting raid of Anderson.

Frankly, I am much more disturbed by Simonoff's vote to spend $250,000 in taxpayer money to wage a public relations campaign aimed at denying a property owner the exercise of its property rights. The Dharma scandal was waste, but the $250,000 PR campaign was a direct attack by government against the right government was instituted to protect.

In that light, Simonoff's claims to be a staunch advocate of private property rights is laughable.

Duvall Endorsed By Congressmen Calvert and Campbell

This came over the transom earlier today:

Congressmen Miller & Campbell Endorse Republican Mike Duvall

Also Received Endorsement of Conservative Assemblyman Chuck DeVore

(Fullerton, CA) – Today, Mike Duvall, Republican candidate for the 72nd Assembly District announced that he has been endorsed by Congressman Gary Miller (R-Diamond Bar), Congressman John Campbell (R-Irvine) and Assemblyman Chuck DeVore (R-Irvine).

“Receiving these endorsements is a clear indicator that Duvall is the Republican choice to fill the 72nd Assembly District,” stated Andrew Kiefer, Campaign Manager.  “Mike Duvall has done a great job in locking up the vast majority of Orange County Republican leaders and has a decisive fundraising advantage, having outspent his opponent nearly 5-1.”

Congressmen Miller and Campbell and Assemblyman DeVore are joined by the following elected officials and grassroots organizations

• Congressman Ed Royce
• Dick Ackerman, Senate Republican Leader
• Kevin McCarthy, Former Assembly Republican Leader
• Assemblyman George Plescia
• Assemblyman John Benoit
• Assemblyman Russ Bogh
• Assemblyman Bill Emmerson
• Assemblyman Ray Haynes
• Assemblywoman Shirley Horton  Assemblyman Bob Huff
• Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa
• Assemblywoman Sharon Runner
• Assemblyman Van Tran
• Assemblywoman Mimi Walters
• Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle
• The New Majority
• Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
• California Republican Assembly
• Young Republican Federation of California

The 72nd Assembly District encompasses all or parts of the cities of Anaheim, Brea, Fullerton, La Habra, Orange, Placentia and Yorba Linda.

72nd AD Mailbox: Duvall Hits Simonoff On Eminent Domain

Here's a new mailer from the Mike Duvall for Assembly campaign, favorably contrasting his record on eminent domain with that of his opponent Marty Simonoff -- a councilman in the propertyrights-hostile Brea.

Here are two other pieces the Duvall campaign sent out last week: a Mike-Duvall-is-the-conservative piece, and a really clever, effective one on the car tax. The latter attacks Simonoff for opposing repeal of the car tax, asking who Simonoff listened to on that issue -- Tom McClintock or Gray Davis.

New Majority Endorses Mike Duvall For Assembly

This just came over the transom from The New Majority/OC:

Orange County New Majority Endorses Duvall for 72nd Assembly District

COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA –– Today the New Majority, Orange County Chapter, announced its endorsement of Mike Duvall for Assembly District 72. The New Majority is one of the most influential political action committees in the state of California, and a major player in state and federal candidate campaigns.  This seat is currently held by Lynn Daucher, who is termed out in 2006.

In making the announcement, Paul Folino, New Majority Orange County Chairman, stated that Mike Duvall will be a strong leader in advocating for fiscal responsibility and economic development.

“Mike Duvall is an excellent choice for Assembly District 72.  As a small businessman he understands why it is important to be a business friendly legislator,” said Folino.

Over the past 7 years the New Majority has broadened the appeal of the Republican Party by promoting a fiscally responsible philosophy toward government and contributing resources to Republicans who support an inclusive, mainstream approach toward politics.

About the New Majority and its Members

The membership of the New Majority consists of business leaders from almost every industry both statewide and internationally.  There are approximately 150 members in its Orange County Chapter and 80 in the Los Angeles Chapter.

The New Majority consists of three distinct organizations, the non-profit association, our state political action committee and our federal PAC. Our non-profit association is a public benefit corporation under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(4).  For more information, please visit our website at www.thenewmajority.com.

72nd AD Candidate Forum This Thursday

This came over the transom from the North Orange County Legislative Alliance:

Coalition of North Orange County Chambers Host Candidate Forum

FULLERTON, Calif.—On Thursday, May 11th at 7:30 a.m. at Placentia-Linda Hospital, the candidates for the 72nd Assembly District will gather for a candidate forum hosted by the North Orange County Legislative Alliance. 

The Alliance, formed in early 2006, is composed of the Brea, Fullerton, La Habra, Placentia, and Yorba Linda Chambers of Commerce.  Jennifer Fitzgerald of CL7 Communications, the Alliance Chair, has taken a pro-active approach in endorsing legislation to give North Orange County a stronger and united voice on issues of great concern to the North Orange County business community.  “We’re hosting this forum because our members want to know which candidate will be best for their businesses.  We want to give our members the opportunity to hear from each candidate themselves,” says Fitzgerald.

The candidate forum will consist of a question and answer period for all four candidates: Hon. Marty Simonoff (Rep), Hon. Mike Duvall (Rep), John MacMurray (Dem), and Brian Cross (Lib.).

For more information about the North Orange County Legislative Alliance, please contact Kevin Mathy, Community and Member Services Representative of the Fullerton Chamber of Commerce, at (714) 871-3100.

Give Marty Simonoff Credit For Not Pretending To Be A Conservative

I realize a candidate seeking the Republican nomination in an Orange County legislative seat has to label themselves a "conservative." This is true no matter how un-conservative the candidate really is, simply because OC GOP primary voters are pre-dominantly conservative.

So I have to hand it to Brea Mayor Pro Tem Marty Simonoff, who is running to succeed termed-out Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher in the 72nd AD. I was perusing his campaign website, and nowhere did I find the word "conservative." Sure, the campaign verbiage about taxes and illegal immigration, for example, is conservative. There's even this kinda/sorta-conservative statement about eminent domain:

Marty Simonoff opposes the taking of private property by city or county governments so that developers can build malls or shopping centers.

Apparently, Simonoff isn't counting his support for including eminent domain in the Brea downtown project.

Still, I'm impressed Simonoff's website is devoid of methinks-he-doth-protest-too-much affirmations of conservatism. Quite the contrary: judging from his endorsements, Simonoff is the kind of Republican who Democrats and public employee unions want in the legislature.

There's PORAC (the Peace Officers Research Association of California), which was traditionally the "Democratic" law enforcement group before all the other public safety unions also took on that role. In addition to endorsing Marty Simonoff, PORAC is also endorsing:

• Phil "Soak The Rich" Angelides (D) for Governor
• John Garamendi (D) for Lt. Governor
• Joe Dunn (D) and Abel Maldonado (R) in their respective Controller primaries.
• Cruz Bustamante (D) for Insurance Commissioner
• Deborah Ortiz (D) and   Bruce McPherson (R) in their respective Secretary of State primaries
• Jack O'Connell (D) for Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Bill Lockyer (D) for Treasurer
• Jerry Brown (D) for Attorney General

Simonoff also has the support of local elected Democrats like Fullerton Councilwoman Sharon Quirk and Placentia Councilman Norm Eckenrode.

And word on the street is the CCPOA will pour a truckload of money into the district to try and elect Simonoff.

At least we know who the labor/Democrat favorite in the 72nd AD Republican primary is.