CUSD Trustee John Casabianca's Deceptive Mailer

This just came over the transom from the CUSD Recall Committee about the shameless John Casabianca, one of the CUSD Trustee who will hopefully get pink slipped by the voters on Tuesday:

Casabianca Mailer Fraudulently Claims Bergeson Support

Former State Senator Endorses Challenger Anna Bryson

Rancho Santa Margarita, Ca. Scandal-Ridden CUSD Trustee John Casabianca just sent a deceptive mailer to voters across South Orange County suggesting that Former State Senator Marion Bergeson endorses and supports his re-election bid. Bergeson does not endorse or support John Casabianca – and she recently told him so. In fact, Marion Bergeson has proudly endorsed candidate Anna Bryson of the “ABC Reform Slate” for the CUSD Board of Trustees.

Casabianca recently asked Bergeson for her support and endorsement – and she refused.

Marian Bergeson immediately responded to Casabianca’s misleading mailer, “While I am proud of the accomplishments of CUSD, I have only endorsed Anna Bryson who is running for the open seat and who I wholeheartedly support.”

Anna Bryson is a member of the “ABC Reform Slate” of Ellen Addonizio, Anna Bryson and Larry Christensen.

These three reform candidates have successfully gathered the support and endorsement of the Orange County Republican Party and from an impressive list of prominent elected officials and organizations.

This is not Casabianca’s first controversy relating to deceptive endorsements during this election. On September 18, 2006, it was disclosed that he published a fraudulent list of endorsements on the League of Women Voters “Smartvoter” website. In that incident, Casabianca falsely claimed to be endorsed by a number of prominent elected officials. That false list of endorsements was removed from the Smartvoter website when brought to the attention of the website monitors.

Thomas Russell, Spokesperson for the CUSD Recall Committee stated, “Casabianca’s continuing efforts to deceive the public demonstrate why the ABC Reform Slate candidates have earned such an impressive list of endorsements – the need for reform in CUSD is obvious.”

Casabianca and fellow-incumbent Shelia Henness have lost virtually all political support as a result of numerous front-page scandals that have rocked the district over the past year.

• The Orange County District Attorney and Grand Jury are conducting a criminal investigation of the CUSD leadership.

• As part of the on-going criminal investigation of the Capistrano Unified School District leaders, Trustee Casabianca was recently called to testify before the Orange County Grand Jury.

• A criminal defense attorney charging $395/hour is representing Casabianca…and, it has just been confirmed, the taxpayers will be asked to pay the bill.

• CUSD leaders created an “enemies list” of their political opponents – a list that included children, parents and teachers.

• CUSD leaders illegally infiltrated the offices of the Registrar of Voters to review confidential recall petitions.

• Former Superintendent Fleming caused school district personnel to hide information from the press, or to present misleading information. For example, in response to formal inquiries from the media, school district personnel significantly understated Fleming’s massive personal compensation package. In another instance, school district personnel were instructed to remove official records from school district offices so those records could be hidden.

• CUSD leaders participated in illegal, closed-door meetings in what some legal experts have called the worst example of open meeting law violations in 25 years.

• Former Superintendent Fleming’s son quit his $8 per hour at job at Dairy Queen to work for CUSD’s primary plumbing company (also a major political donor to the CUSD Trustees) – the taxpayers were then charged $100 per hour for the son’s services.

• On August 14, 2006, investigators armed with search warrants raided the headquarters of the Capistrano Unified School District.

The CUSD Recall Committee is the organization that led South Orange County residents in the unprecedented campaign to recall all seven elected Trustees of the Capistrano Unified School District. More than 177,000 signatures were obtained from South Orange County residents calling for the removal of all seven CUSD Trustees. The campaign focused on the serious financial mismanagement and corruption at CUSD.

To learn more about these important issues, please visit our website at www.cusdrecall.com

 

I didn't receive the other side of the mailer -- but if you look at this side, Casabianca never explicitly claims Marian Bergeson's endorsement. However, the intent is clearly to fool voters into thinking he does.

It's common for candidates to include in their mailers pictures of themselves with prominent politicians -- like President Bush or Governor Schwarzenegger in the case of Republicans -- whose endorsement they do not have. But it's generally part of a collection of such shots.

Casabianca takes it that tactic to a sleazy new height by making his-grip-and-grin with Sen. Bergeson the entirety of the mailer, while throwing an endorsement-like quote into the mix.

I wouldn't buy insurance or a use car from this guy.

 

Comments

[Stop the Madness in CUSD]

It is unbelievable to me, as a CUSD parent, voter, and taxpayer, that this schmoe was ever appointed to the CUSD board by those stupid incumbents to begin with, or that he was re-elected once. That actions happened under the cloak of the age of darkness in CUSD. Now that the truth about the incumbent Board members inept and corrupt managment has been well documented in the press and is being investigated by the OC District Attorney and Grand Jury, it would be beyond mycomprehension if this dunce is re-elected again. Every one interested in good government needs to get out the word that Casabianca needs to be retired from CUSD and replaced with his well endorsed challenger, Larry Christensen, along with his slate mates Anna Bryson and Ellen Addonizio.

[Casabianca Is Corrupt]

What could possess a man who was just subjected to a massive recall, a man who is under criminal investigation, a man who has lost all legitimate political support, to run for re-election?

Is it ego/arrogance? Stupidity? ...or does he really just need the taxpayers to keep paying for his $400/hour criminal defense lawyer?

All of the above

[Up to his old tricks...again]

This isn't the first time Casabianca has tried to use stale endorsements deceptively. It was on this blog that he was outed for posting out-of-date endorsements on the League of Women Voters Smart Voter Guide during this campaign and forced to remove them when he got caught. I guess that's the best he could do after the embarrassment of being turned down for an endorsement by the Republican Party of Orange County.

[He's creeping me out!!!]

The only thing missing from the picture of Casabianca and Bergeson is a bubble over Bergeson's head with the words "Who is this guy and why won't he let go of my hand?"

[He's creeping me out!!!]

Hey John, have any more pictures of public officials that you plan to photo shop into a mailer? If not, I have a few I'd be willing to depart with for the right price.

[I vote Daley]

It this the same Marian Bergerson who was a Supervisor in Orange County before she realized how much work it entailed and fled in the middle of her elected term to a cushy appointed State job in Sacramento?

Casabianca is better off not having any ties to her.

Being deceptive - troubling. It's a good thing only Casabianca is trying that move. I'd hate to see this technique catch on with other politicians....

Not to mention, the possible impact on tactics of others, like recall committees...

Deception would make for interesting times...

Oh well, gotta go vote. Early and often, as they say.

[Nice try]

Previous post by the Casabianca Committee for Deflection and Denial

The fact is, Casabianca has been caught misrepresenting his endorsements twice in this campaign. Accountability has never been a concern for Casabianca while serving as a Trustee. Why should he be concerned about it now?

[Recall this....]

Fact: "CUSD leaders illegally infiltrated the offices of the Registrar of Voters to review confidential recall petitions".

Deception: CUSD leaders drove on public streets, parked in a public parking lot and walked into the public lobby of the County Office Building where they stood at a public counter and asked to see the recall petitions.

Deception: The Registrar of Voters took the recall petitions from the files he maintained (which are not accessible to the public) and gave them to these CUSD leaders to view; something he later acknowledged he should not have done.

[Recall this, too...]

Fact: Casabianca engaged in illegal political campaigning when he carried campaign signs onto school property during a recent Tesoro High School football game where supporters held the signs in the bleachers.

Fact: Casabianca voted to approve former Superintendent Fleming's lucrative retirement package on the very day DA investigators raided Fleming's offices with a search warrant and subpoenas, ignoring public requests for an independent investigation of Fleming's aleged illegal and unethical activities, first.

Fact: Casabianca participated in illegal, closed-door school board meetings, regarded by experts as the worst violation of California's open meeting laws in 25 years.

Fact: Casabianca recently was forced to testify before the OC Grand Jury. (No surprise here).