A stunning development has occurred in the race for the Coast Community College District, as Bob Mosley, one of three candidates in the race, has endorsed one of his opponents, Judge Lynne Riddle . Here is the note he sent to voters about his support for Riddle:
Dear Voter,
When I decided to run for the Board of Trustees of the Coast Community College District, I felt that I had a tremendous amount to offer. In addition to my management career as a ranking police officer, I spent 16 years working at Golden West College, serving as Academy Director of the Criminal Justice Training Center, with responsibility for 215 faculty, training officers, and staff.
During the last few years, our reform-minded trustees have moved us away from a good-old-boy network that led to pension double-dipping by the trustees and expensive proposals for vanity projects.
One of those good old boys, David Grant, is trying to get on the Board of Trustees so he can turn back the clock.
My name is on the ballot, but there’s a much better candidate, and it’s not me. I’m urging voters to support Judge Lynne Riddle, who has the integrity, experience, and knowledge to continue the reforms, protect taxpayers, and put students first.
Bob Mosley
Mosley is a retired policeman and educator.
Sorry Bob, but I’m not buying your line of you know what.
David Grant is the PERFECT person for that position, and you know it. If the truth were to be known, you are probably withdrawing because you found out that the only vote you would receive would be your own.
Judge Riddle is exactly the kind of reform-minded person we need running the district in these days of massive state underfunding. Her devotion to ethics and due dilligence is second to none.
My choice is Judge Lynne Riddle. She is smart, knows the district and will contribute her expertise as a bankruptcy judge to the job of trustee. I agree, Dave Grant is the past…
I agree with everbody that Dave Grant is a great sailor, but I agree even more with the Orange Juice Blog and the Republicans for the National Interest that Dr. Lynne Riddle is going to be the next great trustee for Coast! Go Dr. Riddle!
The real story:
On Friday, August 6, former federal judge/perennial OCC student Lynne Riddle thought she had cleared a pathway for her ascendancy to a job she had been position herself for years – election to the Coast Community College District (CCCD) Board of Trustees. Her political godfather, former democractic congressman (bounced by B-1 Bob Dornan in 1984) and chair of the CCCD Board had badgered long-time board member Walt Howald into retirement and Riddle thought she would be able to run opposed for the plum spot she so coveted.
The next week a wrench was thrown into her and Patterson’s carefully laid plans when highly popular former OCC President/crew coach/history professor/dean of students threw his hat into the ring. Panicked at having a strong competitor enter the race, Patterson and Riddle recruited former Orange County Fair secutiry guard Bob Mosley to be a straw candidate. Mosley filed just before the deadline but showed that he was not a serious candidate when he failed to pay the $5,000 required for a candidate statement. Riddle and Patterson hoped that Mosley would split the vote and help propel Riddle into office. This is a common tactic in under the radar community college trustee races that Patterson has used before.
This week, realizing that Grant is surging in the lightly covered race, Riddle and Patterson have had their straw man who was never a real candidate pull out of a race he was never really in. Patterson and faculty union major domo Dean Mancina realize that despite dumping almost $200,000 in union dues and pac money in the race for fliers and slate mailers that Grant is heading for a strong showing in the race based on his district-wide name recognition, a strong volunteer team and a navy of Coast crew alumni who respect him for the life changing coaching he provided them over his 49+ years of leadership of the OCC “Giant Killer” Crew.
Desperate to claim a spot that would give them a union-backed super majority on the CCCD Board – Patterson, Riddle and Mancina have now staged Mosely’s contrived departure from a race that he was never really part of.
Re: Coast Community Board of Trustees
It’s obvious that David Grant is not running for money or fame or to use this position as a political spring board. He has a genuine concern for the teachers and students of the district and a disgust for misdirected spending. His understanding of educators and education prompted his candidacy.
The definition of riddle: a question or statement so framed as to exercise one’s ingenuity in answering it or discovering its meaning; conundrum. In this case, Ms. Riddle’s motivation is quite clear. If you want to solve your voting riddle by solidifying union backed self interests spending your tax dollars, she’s the one.
For me the answer is clear. I’m voting for the candidate with a selfless interest in this race. David Grant has my vote.
This reminds me of the same type of stunt that the Union pulled last time. Lorrane Prinsky was in a tight race with the incumbent when the third candidate was “educated” (his words) and pulled out of the race endoring Prinsky.
It worked last time.
Unions! This is the first I’ve heard of the U-word in the Coast race. I knew there was a “Foundation” and they want to build a Planetarium. (Sorry Doug I’ve been too busy to meet with you about that.) But now it’s David Grant against some Union?