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Ida MacMurray, a retired schoolteacher turned La Habra City School District Trustee, died yesterday. Sources close to the Democratic Party report the cause of death as cancer.
Along with her husband John, Ida was one of the most avid and effective Democratic Party activists in northernmost Orange County. She was a major mover behind the protests of former Rep. Ed Royce’s “Women’s Conferences” over the years, and stood by me when I almost got arrested there. (She may have been chuckling at me, but she did stand by.)
Ida and John have been friends of this blog since Vern took it over. I’ll remember her both as a good source and a terrific — and demanding, which in this context is good — activist. Our condolences go out to her and John’s friends, family, colleagues, and supporters. Your thoughts are welcome below.
About Greg Diamond
Somewhat verbose attorney, semi-disabled and semi-retired, residing in northwest Brea. Occasionally ran for office against jerks who otherwise would have gonr unopposed. Got 45% of the vote against Bob Huff for State Senate in 2012; Josh Newman then won the seat in 2016. In 2014 became the first attorney to challenge OCDA Tony Rackauckas since 2002; Todd Spitzer then won that seat in 2018. Every time he's run against some rotten incumbent, the *next* person to challenge them wins! He's OK with that.
Corrupt party hacks hate him. He's OK with that too.
He does advise some local campaigns informally and (so far) without compensation. (If that last bit changes, he will declare the interest.)
His daughter is a professional campaign treasurer. He doesn't usually know whom she and her firm represent. Whether they do so never influences his endorsements or coverage. (He does have his own strong opinions.) But when he does check campaign finance forms, he is often happily surprised to learn that good candidates he respects often DO hire her firm. (Maybe bad ones are scared off by his relationship with her, but they needn't be.)
She hated you, fatso.
I’m restoring this comment from the trash, where I expect Vern had politely placed it, because I think that going into 2020 it’s worth our reminding readers of just how nasty, childish, and cowardly Orange County Democratic politics is.
I don’t think that Ida hated me, but if she did she hid it well. And, if she did, that was her business. I’m not going to ask John about it. What I think is absolutely amazing is that, at a moment like her untimely death, some political folks note it only as a tool for causing emotional pain. What assholes.
This will be the last comment you see here from this particular email address, though OC DEM surely has others.
To all and sundry: Be it hereby known by all in the land that Ida did not, in fact, hate Gregory A. Diamond, nor anyone else. As unabashed champion of underdogs, which certainly described Greg’s campaigns (ours as well), she admired Greg’s tenacity and willingness to challenge established power. I claim superior knowledge of this subject. Let the matter be settled.
Thanks John. I appreciate your stopping by even in a time of grief, and I hope that you will post information about services, memorials, and where and what people may donate in Ida’s memory. Among other things, she had a great husband.
Meant to add many thanks for your thoughtful and sincere article. My FB page has some info; I meet with our Pastor on Tuesday morning; we will find a time and date for Ida’s Celebration of Life, and I will post them on FB. Got some details to work out with IRS about the memorial fund, but that should go OK. Our credit union has been most helpful with all this.