72nd Assembly District Pre-ballot Mail-Out Recap: What We Know About Linda Ackerman

Isn't being a "proud grandmother" enough?
Isn't being a "proud grandmother" enough?

UPDATE: as absentee ballots roll in we thought it would be a useful public service to republish our run down about what we know about Linda Ackerman. If you haven’t voted please read, or read again. If you have already voted have fun reading it anyway. 

We’ve been reading up on our would-be 72nd Assembly District representative, Linda Ackerman, of Irvine. We’ve done some digging, too, and have perused her website. We have had quite a bit of fun shredding the supposed testimonials by endorsers, statements so false that they hardly needed debunking.

Now, with only a month (Ed. now three weeks) to go before the Special Election primary, and with absentee ballots soon to be landing in mailboxes we have decided to do a recap of the territory we have covered. Consider it a public service.

  • Linda Ackerman is a carpetbagger who has lived in a gated community in Irvine for ten years.
  • The Ackermans have “rented” a fraudulent address on Lindendale, in Fullerton to meet the minimum enforceable election law, even though it is a violation of the State Constitution.
  • Despite her campaign claims of being an “experienced businesswoman” she has provided no evidence to substantiate that claim. She does sit on the Board of a collection agency whose clients are organized as Sacramento lobbyists.
  • She created an operation called the Pacific Policy Research Foundation, a putative “charitable” corporation; a dodge whose sole purpose is to provide politicians a free trip to Hawaii to be lobbied by big business interests.
  • She has received at least two $3900 contributions from bogus political campaign “slush funds,” including that of her own husband.
  • She was paid $76,000 by her own husband’s campaign as a “consultant.”
  • She is responsible for perhaps the sleaziest campaign mailer seen since her own husband ran for the Assembly in 1995.
  • She has zero record on any issues. None. Zip. Zilch. Nada.

In sum, Mrs. Ackerman is a cipher, a virtual non-entity, trading on her husband’s name and hoping to succeed by raising enough money from her Sacramento pals to smear her opponent but good. And there you have it.

We will add as an addendum that it became clear during the Dave Lopez Mike Duvall/Linda Ackerman story that Dick Ackerman “speaks for his wife.” And that blatant puppetry ought to give any conscientious citizen cause to pause, especially when we learn that Ackerman is regarded as Mike Duvall’s “political godfather.”

And the desperate hit pieces on Chris Norby by Ackerman, Inc. and its big business and Redevelopment abuser surrogates has not only gotten slimier, but incessant. A new generation of North Orange Countians now knows how low Team Ackerman will go to keep its grubby mitts on power. Any power at all, really. 

Well, the voters have a clear choice. And in a democracy you always get the kind of representation you deserve!

Another Day, Another Phone Call

Van
Oh, no. Not again!

Following hot on the heels of their last snagged conversation between Dick Ackerman and his various high-minded associates, we have received this sparkling gem from our Undercover Surveillance Unit.

It appears to be a conference call between Dick Ackerman and two of Repuglican OCs minor water bearers, Adam Probolsky and Matthew Cunningham. It is so unbelievable that we will obviously forgive you Friends for treating it as fiction, but here goes, anyway.

It's all coming together...another term in Sacramento!
It's all coming together...another term in Sacramento!

(Cunningham and Ackerman were already conversing when the interception began. A faint ringing sound is heard in the background)

Dick Ackerman: (snort) You missed the rear tires again.

Matt Cunningham: Sorry, sir. Thought I got them. Won’t happen again.

DA: (grunting noise) Yeah, well it better not…and use Armor All next time…

(ringing stops)

Adam Probolsky: Hey there, Senator. So glad I could join –

DA: (guttural sounds) Shut up and listen Problobsky. Your girlfriend has already got me into plenty of hot water. That shit with Jones Day isn’t going to be free.

AP: I’ll tell you what –

DA: (bark) No, you’re done talking, putz. Clam up. You’re almost as bad as that donkey Fleischman.

AP: Sorry, sir I just –

( a low grade snarl, unattributable)

DA: That asshole Lacy did a poll. Showed Linda down by ten. We go down, you go down. Now get your fat ass out there and refute it. And you, you –

MC: Me? Yessir?

DA: Your job is to screw with that FFFF operation and Bushala. That bastard is putting up signs attacking me. I mean attacking Linda. Nobody attacks me. It can’t be legal. They’re making me look bad. Making Linda look bad. Making us look bad. (several low growls and a snort). Ughhhmmmmph.

MC: He’s fringe. Crazy. I really hate him. I hate his guts.

AP: He’s a terrrorist. They all are, you know.

DA: Shut up, Plobrosky. What are you still doing on the line? You’ve got your assignment now get lost.

(a distinct clicking sound) 

MC: Anything else you want me to do, sir?

DA: (snarl) I want you to start going after Norby, goddammit!

MC: Okay….well…its hard…I mean. I haven’t endorsed him…

DA: (several growls)Nobody gives a rat’s ass about your punk endorsement. Just take a shit on him every day.

MC: Well, I’m trying, but you see, John is telling me the same thing, so –

DA: Don’t play hard ball with me you little (unintelligible). If I go down you’re coming along, too see, just like Porbolsky and Fleischberg. And all that Carona shit may come out, too. You and all your little…(loud sound of exhalation).  And don’t forget to shut up that Bartlett piece of crap. Thinks he’s so goddam pure and self-righteous. (growling sound)

MC: Well, we’ve been deleting some of his posts and Chip has –

DA: (muffled sounds of indeterminate origin) Shut him up. Now. I’ll take care of him but good after I win. So go after Bushala. Make him look bad. (several quick grunts)

MC: Well, it’s a little hard – he doesn’t seem to care what I say about him. He’s crazy.

DA: Goddamit, call him a liar and a crook. I don’t give a shit. Use some big words. Goddam Jones Day. Worthless. Can’t count on anybody. All out to get me. (a muffled snarl)

MC: Okay, sir. I’ll keep up the pressure. We really need Linda.

DA: Who? Oh, yeah. Right. Now start blogging or your gravy train’s gonna come to a screeching halt, you got it?

MC: Yessir!

DA: And next time get the tires right or I’ll let Fleischman do it.

Another Day, Another Plop

This post was written by Joe Sipowicz and we just received it by e-mail. Joe seems pretty steamed up so we’re posting it immediately. We reproduce it unedited.

If only I knew what I was talking about I could be relevant...
If only I knew what I was talking about maybe I could be credible...

It’s getting a little weird – not cyber-stalking scary, but pretty weird, nevertheless. Poor Matthew Cunningham seems to have developed an unhealthy obsession with your blog. Everyday brings a new charge against FFFF and its proprietor of some misfeasance, lawbreaking, or general attack. It’s true you have been pretty frank in displaying your dislike for political sycophants and stooges, and have singled out Mr. C on more than one occassion as an example of the type. But still. He seems bent on a vendetta!

Today on his blog he accused Tony Bushala of cyber-squatting on a URL address in violation of campaign laws. Here’s what Clarence Darrow Cunningham had to say:

Yesterday, I came across Section 18320of the California Elections Code, known as the “California Political Cyberfraud Abatement Act.”

It says:

Political cyberfraud includes, but is not limited to, any of the following acts:

(D) Intentionally preventing the use of a domain name for a political Web site by registering and holding the domain name or by reselling it to another with the intent of preventing its use, or both.

And wouldn’t you know it — who appears to be in violation of that section but noted election scofflaw Tony Bushala of Fringe for Fullerton’s Future. In July, he reservedthe domain name “Tom Daly for Supervisor.” Since Bushala has an extremely negative view of Daly, it’s fair to assume he reserved it with the intention spelled in subsection (D). But almost I forgot — it’s Bushala and his pals who are cleaning up politics, restoring the dignity of the Republican Party, etc, etc, blah, bah. Who has time for nuisance’s like election laws? 

The only problem is that Cuningham’s comprehension skills have obviously been stunted by asphyxia. It is crystal clear that Tony is using that site for (drum roll, please) political speech! As a matter of fact, Cunningham undercuts his own effort to play attorney by helpfully providing a link to the site (Tony, remember to thank him for the advertisement!) showing a political statement.

Tony is not “squatting” on it to keep anybody from using it. And he hasn’t sold it to someone else to do so. Cunningham’s precious subsection D remains unviolated and the Republic can still muddle along. 

As far as cleaning up politics I have never read anything on this blog that stated such a noble purpose. But cleaning out rats like Cunningham and all the other political parasites in the Orange County Republican machine would indeed be a public service!

Joe Sipowicz, Jr.

Attorney Jim Lacy Stands Up For Little Guys

Jim Lacy
Jim Lacy

Orange County lawyer James Lacy has leaped into the breach to defend Art Pedroza’s Orange Juice blog from the intimidation by legal monster Jones Day – reportedly the fourth largest law operation in the nation. Here is Art’s post on the subject.

You may recall that Art, like us, received a threatening letter from Jones Day lawyer Thomas Reed Malcolm (who just happens to have been at the same college and law schools at the same as Dick Ackerman. Hmm). Malcolm, it seems, is representing one Desiree Mouzoon – who was the subject of a KCAL investigative piece by Dave Lopez. Several local blogs were targeted (including ours) for merely passing along news of an event that occurred in our city.

Lacy has also agreed to defend FFFF against potential legal harassment, although we never took down the post.

So our thanks to Mr. Lacy for doing the right thing. If the political machines – republican or Democrat – can deploy their pals in big law firms to bully and harass their opponents, then we’re all in big trouble.

Still Reeling From Methane Intoxication Fart Boy Can’t Clear Head

How come when I let fly with a salvo nobody salutes?
How come when I let one fly nobody salutes?

Over at his dreary and deserted Repuglican blog  Brown Klownty, minor grade GOPer lackey and Fart Boy Matt Cunningham accused FFFF of violating campaign finance laws. He showed pictures of NO ACKERMAN IRVINE CARPETBAGGER signs that he got from our site.

First, thanks Jerbal for the additional publicity for our blog; and also to the cause of running Ackerwoman out of Fullerton and back to Irvine. Oh, wait. We can’t do that BECAUSE THE STUPID CARTOON CUTOUT NEVER LEFT IRVINE!

I resemble that remark!
I resemble that remark!

What a maroon. It pleased Fart Boy to accuse FFFF of not making the necessary reporting on expenditures over a thousand dollars. First it doesn’t seem to have occurred to him that you can make signs for a lot less that he may imagine. But since he has no idea how many signs were even made he’s just making up shit and tossing it around again. Pretty low for the self-described model of character and virtue, but that’s the business he’s in.

The absolute funniest part is how he assumed that it was FFFF who failed to do the reporting! He portentously linked to the FFFF page at the Secretary of State’s website. It may come as a surprise to this pin head but the FFFF IE isn’t spending a dime in this election!

Well, Maybe She Is a Businesswoman After All

Thanks to red vixen from the Orange Juice blog for this discovery. Since we can’t confirm whether or not this is the same Linda Ackerman who is carpetbagging the 72nd Assembly District election, and whom we have accused of lying about being a “businesswoman,” we may owe her an apology! Dog grooming is a real business. But if it is our Linda, why didn’t she put this on her resume. It would have helped.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5Kv3w_zR3I

Pechanga Indians Buy More Favors from the Ackermans

A few days ago, the Pechanga Band of Indians kicked down $15,000 to send out mailers on in the 72nd on behalf of Linda Ackerman. The money arrived at the same time as the $25K kicked in by billionaire owner of the City of Industry. And on the 23rd a new expenditure has been reported that specifically targets Chris Norby.

Since all these funds are laundered through the bogus “Alliance for California’s Tomorrow” IE committee, it’s hard to pinpoint who paid for what. But it hardly matters. The other day one of our writers supposed that Roski might want to keep his hands off Norby directly. Now it appears that that is not the case since the funds go into the same pool.

But back to our Native American brothers.

Why would a bunch of Indians way out in Temecula be interested in the race to represent North Orange County?

ackerman-casino-map

Dick Ackerman has a history of pandering to the Indian gambling cabal, going out of his way to give them fat favors from the State on behalf of Orange County residents. Over the last few years, Ackerman spent an incredible amount of energy pushing deals through the California legislature that would allow Pechanga to add tens of thousands new slot machines. Somehow this was all justified by calling Orange County a “core geographic area” for the distant desert casinos.

Native American dancers celebrate the blessings of Irvine's Great Dick Ackerman
Native American dancers celebrate the blessings of Dick Ackerman

Now it’s Linda Ackerman’s turn to run for office, and the Pechanga Indians know where to put their money. Linda is sure to continue her husband’s tradition of repaying special interests with special favors to the detriment of Orange County residents.

Not Quite Gone and Hardly Forgotten: Steve Greenhut Goes After Ackerman, Inc.

Our old amigo Steve Greenhut has taken a job up north in Sacramento to untangle some of the worst of California’s governmental pathologies, but he still writes an occasional piece for the OC Register. It obviously has not been lost on Steve that the current battle for the 72nd Assembly District is a pretty good symbol of an attempt by the entrenched GOP old guard to hold on to their influence and money apparatus – and that ties directly to the mess in Sacramento.

Over the week-end Greenhut dropped a devastating editorial scud on the Ackerman, Inc. machine that was both informative and entertaining. Read Steve’s piece here.

It first appeared as a small shadow from overhead...
It first appeared as a small shadow from overhead...

The OC Repugs don’t like the antiseptic light of day shining on their doings, so one can only imagine the consternation Greenhut’s editorial has caused. And they also don’t like their ideology questioned by anybody. Ideology is their purview, see, by which they whip up the stupider ranks of the rank and file and get them mobilized. But that’s mostly window dressing. When in office the ‘Pugs like to settle in and start milking their cash cow for all it’s worth.

It's so beautiful it just brings a tear to Dick's eye...
It's so beautiful it just brings a tear to Dick's eye...

A Style is Born

Oh my God. That's really, really awful.
Oh my God. That's really, really awful.

A couple days ago we posted on the unveiling of the breathtakingly hideous “Fox Village” monstrosity. Since first looking at those images we have been racking our brains trying to come up with a useful designation of Architectural taxonomy to describe what looked like a train wreck of shapes, materials and themes.

And then it hit us: Downtown Brea Revival! The same jumble of visual chaos, but rather than lined up along a street, it’s been all smooshed together. The corner main entry was of course stolen:

Mother of a thousand imitators
Via Rodeo: mother to a thousand imitators

Now the Fox Village purveyors have altered the ostensible “style” from banal Mediterranean to tawdry “modernish,” but of course the identical impulse to create an instant “village” and imbue it with a sense of authenticity, persists. And that’s Redevelopment for you.

Just a Lie. Or Two. Or Three. Or…

I grew my business in Fullerton! Well maybe it was carrots in the back yard. I know I grew something!
I grew my business in Fullerton! Well maybe it was carrots in the back yard. I seem to remember growing something in Fullerton!

We’ve already documented that Linda Ackerwoman is not, never has been (and probably never will be a “businesswoman”). And yet, here is her ballot designation:

I know, let's start our campaign off with two lies!
I know, let's start our campaign off with two lies!

Okay, the businesswoman thing is a bald-faced lie. Being a “consultant” to your husband’s political campaign is a great way to shift campaign contributions into your own pockets, but it hardly constitutes a business. Which leads to the second lie: “independent.” She is most certainly not independent. She has apparently never worked for anybody but her husband as a fund-raiser. That means she’s tied at the hip to all those lobbyists who put that $76,000 in her pocket. Not to mention all those lobbyists that facilitated the Hawaiian vacations – who laundered dough through a laughably named “Pacific Policy Research Foundation.” She’s about as independent as a barnacle stuck to the bottom of a boat.

It really makes you wonder about those people who have endorsed Ackerwoman, knowing that she’s about as much of a businesswoman as Daisy Duck.

Being a two dimensional cartoon is hard work!
Being a two dimensional cartoon is hard job. But is it a business?

Oh, that’s right! Those endorsers are also well aware that she doesn’t live in the district either. That tells you what kind of people they are. And come to think of it, that makes three lies!