The conservative Orange County Lincoln Club has officially endorsed Shawn Nelson for the 4th District Supervisorial seat.
Orange County Fifth District Supervisor Pat Bates has endorsed the campaign of Fullerton’s Shawn Nelson to replace Chris Norby as Supervisor of the 4th District.
Here’s the press release from Nelson’s website.
The Fullerton City Council held a special meeting the other night to address the City’s projected budget deficits. It ain’t pretty.
But even uglier was watching the discussion unfold on what to whack and what to keep when the discussion turned to the City’s membership in the California League of Cities – a do nothing operation run by bureaucrats for the purpose of promoting their own policies. The annual membership cost is something like $75,000 – not an inconsiderable sum.
To their credit both Shawn Nelson and Sharon Quirk-Silva recognized the elective character of this annual expense and are willing to dispense with it – a gesture both symbolic and practical. And then into the breach to save the day leaped council members Don Bankhead and Pam Keller, relating how important membership in this organization really is. Looks like Dick Jones is the swing vote on this.
Hmm. Bankhead and Keller. League of Cities. Now why does that ring a bell?
Oh yeah, now I remember. And here. These two spendthrifts attended the October 2008 League of Cities conference in Long Beach, a mere 25 miles from their front doors and racked up $400 per night waterfront hotel bills. Keller’s total was an embarrassing $1200+. Not even her die-hard posse could defend that profligacy.
The League of Cities is wonderful metaphor for government that can’t be bothered to control its spending and is accountable to no one. The real purpose of this operation is to give bureaucrats and ambitious local politicians a chance to hobnob, network, self-promote, and eat, drink and be merry on our dime. In some circles it is being claimed that Keller is using the League to wangle a seat on the OCTA, where her mission will be to promote Curt Pringle’s HSR agenda.
As long as free spenders like Bankhead and Keller promote this expensive joke we know we are not being properly represented.
And thanks to Nelson and Quirk-Silva for being accountable to the people of Fullerton.
Harry Sidhu has been playing campaign website musical chairs and it had finally started to get noticed. But not in a good way. You see, Sidhu has his personal website to which he directs readers of his ghostwritten newsletters, and it includes a collection of endorsements that he got, presumably, from any of his many previous runs for public office. But it doesn’t say that.
We first reported on the situation, here. Tucked into the upper right hand corner is a link to Sidhu’s Supervisor campaign website.
We have learned that our State Assemblyman, Chris Norby has just sent Harry Sidhu an email demanding that Sidhu remove Norby’s name from the list that intentionally misleads people into believing that Norby – as well as a host of Orange County politicos – is endorsing Harry Sidhu for 4th District Supervisor.
Chris Norby has not endorsed Harry Sidhu for the 4th District Supervisors seat. Norby has endorsed Fullerton councilman Shawn Nelson for the job he once held.
Visitors to our site are well aware that Sidhu has proven that it doesn’t bother him to fool his constituents. in fact, his first act as a candidate to represent us was to lie about his “residence” in the seedy Calabria Apartments – right next to the Linbrook Billiard hall.
Sidhu has a big problem with the truth. Let’s see if he ever cleans up his website misdirection.
It seems that Matthew J. Cunningham, editor of the dismal Mauve County forgot the lesson he once learned when his wife left him in charge of the laundry and he threw his white bikini briefs in with the old lady’s red blouse.
For the past year Cunningham, has been studiously avoiding discussing the subject of why his mentor, boss Repuglican John Lewis was supporting Democrat Tom Daly’s campaign for County Supervisor; and even, some said, running it through a surrogate.
Only recently Cunningham brought on a contributor named Cynthia Ward to post pro-Daly junk and attack the other candidates. That backfired last Friday afternoon when Daly quit, and now the blog is stuck with a sanctimonious NIMBY liberal – one of those types who are Republicans only because dear old dad was.
Cunningham claimed from the get go that Mrs. Ward, who calls herself Colony Rabble, was brought on board to give an “Anaheim perspective;” better still he also claimed that his blog was a big tent “right-of-center” operation, presumably big enough to include a person who is about as conservative as Eleanor Roosevelt. Nobody was buying that load of horse shit.
So Daly is gone, but Ward is still around. Will anyone even notice? Consider the transparently orchestrated attack on Fullerton’s Shawn Nelson by some semi-literate goon named Thomas Anthony Gordon that came out of left field last week in mauve land. What was that all about? Pretty bad for a self-purported conservative blog.
Will the former “Red County” operators now do the right thing by getting behind the race’s only real conservative, Shawn Nelson, a man who actually lives in the 4th District? Don’t bet on it. The Mauve gang have already demonstrated their attachment to self-interest and revenue uber alles.
It looks like the mauve are mauve for good, and no bleach is gonna fix that load of laundry.
The other day the OC branch of the California Republican Assembly voted to endorse Harry Sidhu in his carpetbagging quest to be our next County supervisor. Good heavens, now that’s a switcheroo! Just look what the CRA had to say about our buddy Sidhu less than two years ago – when the office-hungry politician ran for another job he wasn’t qualified for:
http://www.redcounty.com/orange-county/2008/05/sd33-mailbox-cra-drops-on-ie-c
P.S. Thanks to the Mauve County for access to their invaluable historical archives.
Please join Congressman Ed Royce, Assemblyman Chris Norby, and the host committee for hors d’oeuvres at the Matador Cantina in Historic downtown Fullerton.
Matador Cantina
111 N. Harbor Blvd
Fullerton, CA
Reception 5:30-8:00 PM
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
Business Attire
TO RSVP PLEASE CONTACT:
J. Allen Pitkin (949) 232-8882
More information at www.nelsonforsupervisor.com/events
The Web site of Orange County’s Republican Party, Red County, put up a hit piece written by Thomas Anthony Gordon, replete with bad grammar and worse logic. He’s attacking Fullerton Councilman (and former Mayor) Shawn Nelson, who is running for O.C. supervisor. Nelson’s “offense”: he’s a partner at a firm with a criminal defense department.
Gordon writes (my corrections in brackets): “A State Legislature[,] which has made California one of the most business unfriendly states in the Nation, has taken it upon themselves [he means ‘itself’] to reduce spending by releasing criminals back into our communities. Some theorize that this is to instill fear into taxpayers and have them sign off on tax increases to feed the bloated beast.”
Well, one big reason spending is so high is that the prison guards’ union is so cozy with Red County candidates (Republicans), as well as Blue County candidates (Democrats), producing tax-devouring high salaries and benefits for the guards. How about privatizing prisons to cut costs?
Gordon’s next sentence: “Another reason would be the attorneys, who usually start out on our city councils, move on to elected county offices, then to state assembly and senate seats[,] while telling us all they are the public safety candidate[s].”
The syntax is twisted like a pretzel. But I think he’s trying to say that attorneys like to let criminals run loose; the attorneys get elected to political offices; and from those positions the attorneys start loosing dangerous criminals on the public.
A couple of paragraphs later, Gordon fake concedes, “Now, I understand that even murderers, drug dealers, cybersquatters and NAMBLA promoters are entitled to legal representation. But we don’t have to like it.”
Gordon mixes up a lot here, trying to tar Shawn with warehouse of smear, especially murderers and the disgusting NAMBLA criminals.
But by “drug dealers,” does he mean, say, your local medical marijuana dispensary that gives your grandma the medicine she needs to keep her food down while she’s battling cancer? Although Prop. 215 legalized medical marijuana in state law, federal law still holds it illegal.
Gordon’s direct attack on Nelson: “Shawn Nelson is running to replace Chris Norby on the OC Board of Supervisors. He’s [the possessive is unclear, but he means Nelson] a guy who[m] I consider[ed] to be a strong anti[-]tax and anti[-]crime kind of guy. Until today.
“I was looking at the website for Rizio and Nelson when I came upon this nugget: [‘]this law (early release) will create new challenges for criminal defense lawyers, who will surely paint their clients’ cases in the most positive light possible. For that, you need experienced attorneys who can give you the strongest defense possible. Contact Rizio and Nelson if you need help[’].”
Gordon didn’t consistently bold-face the quoted part, so I put the whole thing in quotes (my single quotes).
Of course, if you read the offending sentence, all it says is: The law is more complicated now. We’re experienced attorneys. We can help you.
But Gordon ends: “And in my opinion, it’s impossible to say your [he means ‘you’re’] tough on crime, while doing everything you can get them [he seems to mean criminals] back onto our streets, to terrorize us another day. But that’s only my opinion.”
In other words: Guilty until proven guilty! The police and prosecutors are always right!
Remember Mike Carona?
But Orange County is the last place where we should give blind faith to police and prosecutors and cast aspersions on the attorneys who defend our liberties.
I suppose it’s understandable that Gordon didn’t mention former Sheriff Mike Carona, given the latter’s deep ties to Red County honchos, who repeatedly endorsed Carona and kept defending him. But just a year ago, a federal jury convicted Carona of witness tampering.
(By the way, Mr. Gordon, was it wrong for Carona to hire a top defense attorney, Brian Sun, to lead his legal team?)
Under Carona’s corrupt watch, in 2006 an inmate was killed at Theo Lacy jail. According this story from April 8, 2008: “A grand jury transcript released Monday describes an Orange County jail in disarray, with deputies watching television, playing video games and taking naps while inmates were allowed to use brutality and intimidation to keep order in the cellblocks.”
Before Carona, Sheriff Brad Gates was notorious for cronyism, especially giving conceal-carry gun permits to his donors (and almost nobody else) while keeping secret files on opponents. He held the job for an incredible 24 years, twice as long as FDR was president.
A 1987 report noted: “Despite a sworn declaration by Orange County Sheriff Brad Gates that he ‘has not created or maintained files’ on former election opponent George Wright, audiotapes of a 1981 college classroom lecture by Wright ended up in the sheriff’s investigative files, it was learned Thursday.”
The current sheriff, Sandra Hutchens, is obsessed with keeping guns out of the hands of honest citizens by denying them conceal-carry permits – even though studies by scholar John Lott and others prove that crime drops when honest citizens are better armed and can fend off criminals. And then there’s the Second Amendment right “to keep and bear arms,” which her policies violate.
Moreover, as Steven Greenhut details in his recent book, “Plunder! How Public Employee Unions are Raiding Treasuries, Controlling Our Lives and Bankrupting the Naiton,” state law now seals the records on any investigation into police abuse. The law was enacted a decade ago by a Democratic governor, Gray Davis, and a Democratic state Legislature that deftly stole the “law and order” issue from Republicans.
Red Staters like Gordon don’t realize that the future of the GOP (if it has one) doesn’t lie with government unions – including police and fire unions – but with Tea Party Patriots, Ron Paul Revolution activists and others sick and tired of governments ordering this once-free people around.
With lawless lawmen – and lawwomen – the need for defense attorneys is clear. If the government falsely accuses you of a crime – and uses its immense powers and tax dollars to prosecute you – who you gonna call? A defense attorney.
Patriot John Adams for the Defense
In our American system, let’s remember, an accused person is innocent until proven guilty. And that person can only be convicted after a trial in front of a jury of his peers. One of the charges our forefathers leveled against George III, in the Declaration of Independence, was: “For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury.”
Indeed, one of our greatest revolutionary Founders was John Adams. Like the others, he risked his neck to bring America liberty. Yet he first came to popular attention after the Boston Massacre of 1770, in which British imperial soldiers killed five Americans, an outrage that helped spark the revolution Adams would end up advancing. But Adams believed in justice, including the right of any person to a decent criminal defense. So he defended the British soldiers. Six were acquitted, two were found guilty of manslaughter.
During the trial, Adams actually was elected to Massachusetts’ colonial legislature. His fellow Americans recognized his bravery and integrity. There was no Thomas Anthony Gordon to write: “And in my opinion, it’s impossible to say your tough on crime, while doing everything you can get them back onto our streets, to terrorize us another day. But that’s only my opinion.”
If Adams had been shunned, his political career ended, he never would have become a hero during the Revolution, helping Washington, Jefferson, Franklin and the other patriots win our independence. Without defense attorney John Adams, their cause might have been lost, the whole lot of patriots hanged by “law ’n order” King George III. Lost also would have been our independence and our liberties.
Shawn Nelson, I submit, is a John Adams for our day.
John Seiler, an editorial writer with The Orange County Register for 19 years, currently is a reporter and analyst for CalWatchDog.com. His email: writejohnseiler@gmail.com.
Okay, Friends, this draft fell out the back of the blog sock-drawer and I just rescued it. It’s a couple weeks old, but still germane, of course.
At last Tuesday’s meeting we expected some fun on the agenda item of who gets to be mayor, but boy did we underestimate the Council’s ability to entertain.
Of course Pam Keller was still sore about getting passed over by the “good old boys” in December and still wanted to kick the issue around. Apparently Pam and her Posse of Political Whatevers had been doing some lobbying behind the scenes, because at the end of issue the council collectively settled upon a “policy” approach that will rotate the mayor gig via seniority. And Dick Jones is next in line followed, finally by Keller, presumably in 2012. Unless Jones declines the honor or hits the road.
The proceedings included the usual incoherent ramblings and musings by some of our council favorites and of course a Fullerton City Council meeting wouldn’t be any fun without Don Bankhead re-inventing history and suddenly claiming he was for this “rotation” system all along (even though he was part of the deal to keep himself mayor two short months ago, and despite the fact that there has never, ever been any system of the kind).
In the end the promises don’t mean all that much. It still takes 3 votes to elect somebody mayor and by next fall there may be three brand-new council persons – some of whom may very well be disinclined to follow the “policy” set by their predecessors. On the other hand the mission of keeping Keller from running for re-election with the title “Mayor” has been accomplished by Ed Royce & Company. So maybe after 2010 nobody will care for another three years who the mayor is.
I received this email Saturday from our Friend Chris Thompson, and I would have posted it yesterday, but I was called upon to attend a bloggers party to be the master of the barbecue and ended up staying for dinner and drinkies, enjoy:
This morning at the Tea Party Rally in Fullerton, Harry Sidhu’s Deputy Campaign Manager actually told me that he knows that Sidhu will probably lose and after a half-hearted defense, essentially acknowledged that the Carpetbagger assertion wasn’t unreasonable.
I saw this overdressed guy dramatically shaking his head in reaction to Villa Park Councilwoman Deborah Pauly’s characterization of Sidhu as a Carpetbagger. I asked Admin who he was and he told me that he worked for the Sidhu campaign. I decided to approach him and ask him why he was supporting a guy that didn’t live in the 4th. After kindly asking him to dispense with the crap about the specially rented domicile, he said…and I’m paraphrasing, but I’m very close…”Can I be honest?” “By all means.” I say.
He said, “I really need a job. I called every candidate and the Sidhu campaign was the only one that would hire me.”
After telling me that he was a PoliSci grad from CSULB, I told him that in this Tea Party era, he might want to consider hooking his train to somebody that was conservative AND honest. He said, “I know we’ll probably lose, but maybe afterwards I’ll earn the reputation of being an effective campaign manager.” I asked him why he thought Nelson never called him back and he said, “It might have something to do with the fact that I did calling for the Linda Ackerman campaign.” I told him that may have something to do with it. He said, “I was the Orange County Republican Party Volunteer of the Year.” I was impressed. I said, “You know, I want to know why Nelson didn’t call you back. Give me your name and number.” He wrote it down for me on the back of a Sidhu flyer.
I called Nelson and he informed me that this individual never called his campaign to ask for a job. Now here’s the part of the story where it becomes very clear that Shawn is smarter than me. I said, “Call him. He’d probably jump ship. He acknowledged they were probably going to lose and that Sidhu was running a charade with this rented home.” Nelson says, “Why would I want to hire a guy that just said all of this stuff to you?” Ummmm…..good point Shawn.
I’ve been fighting (mostly losing with a couple of great wins) political battles in Fullerton for 10 or 12 years. It’s only cost me money and time to do this. I have little sympathy for a guy wanting to get paid to work for a candidate who is violating a principle of mine, much less opposing a guy I know to be an enemy of big government. Probably time to move on, Mr. Deputy Campaign Manager.