Recalled Councilman Lance MacLean and Trish Kelley
Tuesday evening the Endorsement Committee’s meeting of the California Republican Party Central Committee dedicated hours listening to almost 30 candidates for local offices applying for consideration of this prestigious honor.
It was standing room only in the new GOP HQ in Tustin where members of the Central Committee, applicants and supporters followed the proceedings.
As this is an extensive report let me open with the bottom line for Mission Viejo voters. The endorsement committee unanimously rejected Mission Viejo mayor Trish Kelley’s request for an endorsement. Full details below.
The Nominating committee, Chair Mark Bucher, Craig Alexander, Kristine Alonzo, Deborah Pauly, Bruce Whitaker and Mary Young were very professional and efficient as they listened to each applicant’s presentation and answers to challenges and follow up questions. Absent last night was member Lupe Moreno. These members represent 7 of the 9 O.C. Assembly Districts.
Having attended prior committee meetings I would say this was surely an improvement with each applicant submitting answers to over 30 questions.
To assist the committee, the members had the benefit of research by Liberty First where the voting records and ratings of the incumbents were provided.
Getting a favorable recommendation was no easy task as confirmed by the fact that several candidate decisions were 5-1, 4-2 and split 3-3. Trust me when I report that there were no blank checks issued. Suffice to say that one debated challenge related to the TEA party.
When the third group was called the first candidate seeking the endorsement was Mission Viejo mayor Trish Kelley who like everyone else was given three minutes for opening remarks which is followed by up to three attendees granted one minute each to speak in support of or, opposition to, that candidate.
Sgt. at Arms Jack Anderson apologized to the members for having signed Trish’s application for endorsement consideration based upon just receiving a copy of an Aug 23rd email sent by mayor Trish Kelley clearly pointing out her endorsement of Democrat Dave Leckness.
Being first to speak in opposition to Trish I pointed out that the GOP nominating committee should not lower the bar by endorsing anyone who endorses a Democrat. In addition I notified the panel that with a dozen candidates, Trish endorsed the only Democrat in the list.
When asked to identify myself I mentioned having served as Trish’s campaign manager in 2002 as well as my prior GOTV efforts as a Mission Viejo City captain. I pointed out that you don’t reward someone for 17 non-contested change orders in a massive project cost overrun.
Following myself was current Saddleback Republican Assembly, SRA, president Matt Corrigan who pointed out that Trish never supported the GOTV effort. He mentioned Mrs. Kelley’s support of Dave Leckness in the recall election as well as her recent email with her endorsement. Matt stated that Trish is not a fiscal conservative and that Dave Leckness’s General Election web site lists Trish Kelley and several former mayor endorsements.
The third to speak in opposition was another former SRA president Phil Steinhauer. Phil mentioned Trish voting twice to give herself access to lifetime health care at taxpayer expense.
Gilbert note: Mrs. Kelley only under duress, switched her position after Dave Leckness joined JP Ledesma and Cathy Schlicht to overturn that perk that potentially, for mayor Kelley alone, would have cost Mission Viejo taxpayers around $257,000. If you watch the June meeting video you will see her fighting to block any consideration of the Agenda item.
Another point raised by Mr. Steinhauer on her lack of fiscal decision making was Trish’s approval of spending up to $400,000 for a float in the Rose Parade.
With no one speaking in support of Trish the committee proceeded to ask her some follow up questions.
One issue that mayor Kelley sidestepped was the unusual renewal date of our city manager’s contract. This Feb 1st vote was questioned by a member of the committee. She pointed out that Dennis Wilberg is not one of the higher paid managers in the county and that he did not receive an increase in that extension. I like the expression “acts of omission” where you do not provide all the relevant facts. She intentionally failed to mention that being concerned with losing his 3 vote majority in the recall election a new Contract was drawn up for the city manager removing some grounds for dismissal that would not entitle him to a major departure gift.
Quoting from the January 30th Mission Viejo Dispatch where it reads:
“Wilberg wants to rewrite his clause on misconduct, which is now defined in his contract as “dishonesty, fraud, self-dealing or willful misconduct.” His attorney wants all of those eliminated, so that misconduct is redefined to include only misappropriations of funds or conviction of a felony (involving “moral turpitude.”) The matter could have significant cost implications to taxpayers, because Wilberg is entitled to nine-months severance pay if released for reasons other than misconduct.”
As to voting herself lifetime health care the board questioned the validity of her reliance on our city attorney’s advise.
What surprised me is when she lied to the committee about her support of Democrat Leckness. Trish said there were only two candidates in the (recall) election and whereas she had issues with one she decided to support Dave Leckness.
The only problem, as pointed out by member Craig Alexander, is that she ignored her own Aug 23rd email endorsement of Dave Leckness in which it closes “I will be sending another email on behalf of Dave Leckness and Rick Sandzimier in a few days.”
Craig started reading from it and offered to give her a copy. Trish responded that she was familiar with it and engaged in an evasive justification for her current support of Registered Democrat Leckness while seeking the GOP endorsement. Trish told the panel that Dave has been a Democrat since he was 18 and is a good colleague or words to that effect.
Mary Young questioned the $400,000 Rose Parade float to which Trish responded it was before the recession. Mary asked if was paid for with taxpayer funds and Trish admitted that to be the case.
Before making their decision on mayor Kelley the committee listened as Mission Viejo candidate Rhonda Reardon presented her professional and personal background. Rhonda then listed her Republican credentials including walking precincts a few years ago with Central Committee member Robert Ming from the Laguna Niguel city council as well as her role as an elected member of the Saddleback Republican Assembly Board of Directors for several years where she engaged in voter registrations and GOTV.
Speaking in favor of Rhonda were myself and Matt Corrigan. Matt said that “while Rhonda and he did not always agree, she was his integrity barometer. Her yes is always yes and her no is always no. She never waffled.”
The committee did not ask any follow up questions and unanimously voted to recommend Rhonda to the full Central Committee.
Following the vote on Rhonda the committee unanimously voted to reject mayor Kelley’s endorsement request.
The next step in the process is for the Nominating Committee to forward all of their comments and recommendations to the full membership for final consideration at the September 20th meeting.
While the final decision will not occur for a few weeks it would be rare to overturn unanimous Nominating Committee recommendations on any candidate.
It’s amazing that our Mayor thought she could have her cake and eat it by openly working for a Democrat while seeking the Republican Party endorsement.
So it isn’t about who is best for the city? Trish’s sin is endorsing a democrat? What a pile of stupidity. I’m embarrassed to be a republican.
LBM.
You are truly an amateur in the world of politics.
While this is a non-partisan race, you do not endorse a registered Democrat, work to get him elected, and at the same time come hat in hand requesting the GOP endorsement.
Do you really believe that the GOP GOTV foot soldiers will distribute the door hangers or walk pieces with Trish’s name alongside Republican candidates while having this advance information?
Stupidity. You spell that word Trish Kelley!!
What in the world was she thinking? She never realized that I would receive a copy of her mass distributed email and share it with members of the Central committee.
It is what’s best for the city. We should not reward Trish after she blindly approved 17 change orders on the expansion of the Murray Center when the original projected cost was $3.5 million, grew to $5.5 million (July 5, 2005) and as of Change Order #17 to Douglas E. Barnhart reached $14,752,870.30 cents.
She also approved $246,387.19 for furnishings in the Murray Center that included 15 lounge chairs costing $1,009.76 each and 12 others at $926.83.
It is so easy to spend OPM when you serve on the city council.
Trish Kelley never objected to a single change request. Fiscal conservative.
You worry me. Are you “partaking” before Prop 19 is officially approved?
Little Big Man:
So who said you were a Republican??
All the drivel I have seen from you would point to you being anything but a Republican.
So down to the facts–
Kelley has consistently voted for the special interest over the citizens of this city. Ref. Cell Towers, poor road conditions, non enforcement of city codes, support of Lance MacLean and his various acts of violence, 4,000 truck loads of dirt to fill a ravine the city does not even own, her flip floops on city paid health care, taking city retirement benefits for a volunteer job, her relationship/family relationship with Medixs, giving Edison a pass on their Viejo System Project, falsifying her record–ref reserves, spending administrative resources of over two full time staffers on for HER “Character ” Program, spending city money on the OC Fire-station on Margaruite, out of control spending on the Murray Center, mismanagement of the Turf Park project, charging the city for travel expenses to Spelling Bees—-should I go on ??
It’s about time Trish Kelley is called OUT for claiming to be a Republican. Don’t forget she tried to raise taxes with Measure K in 2006. Many incumbents should be dumped in this election, including Trish Kelley.
Kudos to the OC Central Committee for drawing the line.
Hey there Andy, who said I’m not a republican? Some argument you have there. And then you back it up with the pack of same old lies that no one believes anymore.
Gilbert have you priced lounge chairs lately? I mean good ones that will withstand a few years of sitting out on a patio? That is the going price. And logic simply won’t extend to this being “non-partisan” but you can’t endorse a member of another party. You need to look up the word partisan. You clearly don’t understand it’s meaning by the comments you made.
So Leckness is somehow an untouchable because he’s registered in one party or another? That has anything to do with his honesty? With his integrity? Please. We’re not stupid. Ask me Trish endorsed him because she’s seen his level of honesty and integrity while working with him.
Are you ever for anything non-destructive in this town? I think Leckness asked you that one and you never gave him an answer. Just like you couldn’t tell him what was good about Measure D. These are the stories going around town you know. Among others that aren’t all that hard to believe but one doesn’t repeat.
LBM. Hey city clown. Dave Leckness did not even know what Measure D, the Right to Vote Initiative, was when I interviewed him on Nov 9th. Regarding that question “he admitted a lack of knowledge on this issue.” .His Nov 10th email response to that posted interview, which I sent to him via email reads:
“Hi Larry Good interview. You got it pretty much right on the head” adding “I will get the facts on the questions you asked that I need to make decisions on.” Dave.
It’s not the role of the interviewer to tell candidates what’s good or bad about policy matters. It’s up to them to tell us where they stand should they get lucky and get elected. I am not Dave’s campaign advisor or manager. Go back and read that interview to which Dave responded that it was dead on.
In 2002 I spent many hours in her home assisting Trish in learning dozens of city related issues for her first campaign. In fact I designed her flyers and probably wrote or proofed her campaign speeches and assisted in her answers to questionnaires.
Along these same lines then you would argue that Bob Breton should never have been mayor? He’s a democrat you know.
And then why did JP Ledesma sign Leckness’s nomination papers? Was he drunk? Temporarily insane? If that isn’t an implicit endorsement I truly don’t understand the word “imply.”
LMB.
You are truly a fool. You call yourself a Republican? At best you are a Rhino.
You do not ask the Republican party to endorse you when you endorse Democrats.
That was not the only reason Trish failed to get a single vote. Sorry you were not there to stand up for her because none of the 7 former MV mayors covered her back.
JP’s endorsement is a story that only he can answer. Some bridges may never be rebuilt.
Mr. Gilbert, it is always easier for naysayers to shoot someone down than to say anything positive about anyone. I hope readers take your post with a grain of salt given that you were “the first one to speak in opposition to Mayor Kelley” – not actually objective reporting. Trish is a good a decent person that genuinely has Mission Viejo’s best interests in mind. While I have not agreed with every decision she has made, I can look at her body of work and support her candidacy whole heartedly.
Geoff.
You miss the point. Trish had Jack Anderson sign her application for consideration of that GOP endorsement. After receiving her email, in which she ENDORSED DEMOCRAT Dave Leckness, I distributed copies at Monday’s GOP meeting including a copy to Jack who said he was going to call her that night.
On Tue he apologized to the Endorsement Committee stating that he was not aware of that endorsement by Trish.
This is not about her achievements. She had three minutes to share them and she did.
Why weren’t you there to speak on her behalf? Where was Frank Ury who also supports DEMOCRAT Dave Leckness? Where were any of the people who signed her nominating papers present to speak on her behalf? She took the endorsement for granted even mentioning having received it in 2006.
According to MULTIPLE attendees my report was very accurate.
The fact that she voted to give herself lifetime health care was discussed.
17 non contested change orders in which the Murray Center expansion jumped from $3.5 (or $5.5) to $15 million was also stated. She did not challenge those facts in her rebuttal.
An alleged conservative voting to spend up to $400,000 for a Rose Parade float using taxpayer money was OK with Trish.
Geoff. I know you to be a conservative. When I first met Trish, be it 1994, 1996 or 2002, she was one of us. I have not changed.
You my neighbor, were not there. A few dozen who were there , many of whom received email copies, would disagree with your assessment of this post.
Final point. Ask Frank. The endorsement is based on support of the GOP. Trish has been MIA while Rhonda served as an elected member of the Saddleback Republican Assembly Board where among other things she walked precincts on behalf of our supervisor. Rhonda was engaged in other precinct walks and voter registration efforts.
Geoff.
Sorry I didn’t finish my prior response. Doctor’s appointment.
In addition to identifying myself to the Endorsements Committee how much of a case could I possibly make opposing Trish within 60 seconds which is all the time speakers were granted?
Update: Based on this post former Mayor JP Ledesma said he did NOT endorse Dave Leckness and asked him to remove his name from Dave’s web site.
See my latest post in which a 2nd former mayor told me that Dave did not have that person’s endorsement either.
My new post is entitled “MV councilman Leckness lies about endorsements on his web site”
How does one explain changing from Democrat to Republican? Not that its a bad thing, we need more Republicans. I would just think that without an epiphany, the Republicans won’t believe that he is a changed man, and the Democrats should be irritated that he thought so little of them as to bail out at the first opportunity. Folks at Repub. central are saying that FU signed DL up for the OCGOP. He tried during the election to change so that he would not drag down TK, but he could not change in the middle of an election.
Like I said, if he has a true and honest reason, then welcome aboard. But, what are his politics, really?
I changed nearly 30+ years ago. Why? My parents told me I was a Democrat because that is what they were. When Reagan ran for CA-GOV, I wanted to vote for him in the primary. It was the first time that a politician spoke and I agreed with his philosophy. I learned who I was, not what my parents told me. I never changed back because, as an adult, I am a conservative. What is Dave really?
What, Mayor Leckness bailed on us Democrats? Weak, brother. I want an explanation too.
Vern. I stopped to see Dave last week and questioned his pending action. He said he had the voter registration paperwork but had not submitted it as yet.
Could ths sudden change of party be due to our having photos of Republican Frank Ury standing on a corner during the Nov. election where he is holding a sign promoting Dave the Dem?
Could the rumor be true that Frank Ury wants to run to replace Pat Bates at the BOS when her term limits kicks in?
Laguna Niguel councilman Paul Glaab may also have his sights set on that post.