OC Political

We’re live from OC GOP Central Committee for the final round of endorsements to decide on the recommendations of the Endorsements Committee, which we covered here. Please recall that the OC GOP Central Committee already made official early endorsements in August and regular endorsements in September. Tonight are late endorsements.

With the Legislature out of session, several legislators are present, including Diane Harkey and Don Wagner. Despite this, it’s a thin crowd tonight with few controversial items and campaigns underway.

In addition to Harkey and Wagner, other elected officials present are Gene Hernandez, Craig Young, Diane Harkey, Don Wagner, Fred Whitaker, Jeff Lalloway, Mark McCurdy, Sandra Crandall, David Bass, Robert Ming, Mike Munzing, Tony Beall, Todd Spitzer, Greg Sebourn, and Scott Voigts.

The Central Committee hears from Youth Associates Mason Sayer and Laura Hall about the children’s book they helped put together, Sophie Votes Republican.

Chairman Scott Baugh speaks about the US House of Representatives, including key seats in California. He also speaks about the US Senate.

Baugh speaks about Janet Nguyen’s Senate race and Young Kim’s Assembly race. He briefly mentions local races and there is guffawing when Baugh speaks about David Shawver being “a bad boy” in Stanton.

Assemblywoman Diane Harkey expresses her confidence in Supervisor Janet Nguyen’s victory in her Senate race and makes a plea to defend Senator Andy Vidak’s seat. Assemblyman Don Wagner speaks about Mayor Mario Guerra’s bid to defeat former Assemblyman Tony Mendoza in Ron Calderon’s Senate seat.

Rebecca Friedrichs, lead plaintiff in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association (CTA), speaks to the Central Committee. She discusses union warchests and how they’re acquired by payroll deduction of forced dues.

Friedrichs discusses her experience as a teacher in a unionized school. She spoke of incompetent teachers who had tenure and union backing. She speaks of being forced to be in a union that uses her dues to fight for political causes she opposes.

Friedrichs states union claims of being allowed to opt out of the union are only a 35% rebate of overtly campaign spending but is still forced as an agency fee payer to pay for politically oriented conferences, collective bargaining, etc. She notes that teachers who opt out are harassed, lose liability insurance, and can’t vote on contracts. Friedrichs says the opt out has to be filed every year under union rules.

Friedrichs rejoined the CTA at one point and became a local CTA representative in an effort to change CTA from the inside. She speaks of CTA leaders forcing all local representatives to tow the line.

Friedrichs speaks about the 10 plaintiffs, including herself, who filed a federal lawsuit against the CTA. She says they want to allow individual employees to opt out of their union and end forced dues. The case is now pending before the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Friedrichs and her fellow plaintiffs intend to lose at the Ninth Circuit in order to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Abood v. Detroit Board of Education. She urges people to visit cir-usa.org to learn about the case and donate to defray the legal expenses.

Central Commitee Chairman Baugh passes the floor to Endorsements Committee Chairman Mark Bucher.

On tonight’s docket are:
*David Bass – Lake Forest City Council
*William L. (Bill) Green – South Coast Water District
*Miguel A. Gonzalez – Santa Ana City Council, Ward 6
*Rene Gomez – Santa Ana City Council, Ward 2
*Bryan Palomares – Stanton City Council
*Annette Gibson – Laguna Beach Unified School District
*Jon Peat – Cypress City Council

Bucher notes Palomares’s efforts to fight the Measure GG sales tax increase in Stanton.

Jennifer Beall pulls Palomares from the endorsement list because she would like him to respond to a few questions.

ALL BUT PALOMARES ENDORSED.

Scott Peotter moves and Mary Young seconds an endorsement for Bryan Palomares for Stanton City Council.

Beall asks if Palomares is running with a Democrat named Keith Carr.

Bucher says the Endorsements Committee vetted this. He said Democrat Carr also opposes Measure GG but Palomares is not running with him. Bucher says pro-GG Republicans are spreading mistruths about Palomares.

Beall appreciates the response and supports the endorsement.

PALOMARES ENDORSED UNANIMOUSLY FOR STANTON CITY COUNCIL.

State Treasurer Candidate Greg Conlon speaks to the Central Committee. He speaks about California’s credit rating. He speaks about jobs. He wants to lower corporate taxes. He says he won his debate against John Chiang. He says Chiang opposes term limits and wants to undo Prop 13. Conlon says he needs 4.5 million votes to win in 2014. He notes 4 million Republicans voted in 2012.

Second Vice Chair Mary Young uses her report to thank every volunteer.

Treasurer Mark Bucher says the bills are paid.

Assistant Treasurer TJ Fuentes says all dues are paid, except for some of the ex officio members (ex officio members are members of Congress, Board of Equalization members, state legislators, and Republican nominees for those offices).

Parliamentarian Kermit Marsh notes the Ethics Committee has not yet needed to meet because no one has filed an ethics complaint.

Meeting adjourns at 8:18 PM.