OC Political

A right-of-center blog covering local, statewide, and national politics

Posts Tagged ‘Anaheim police union’

What Did Kring Tell The Anaheim Police Union?

Posted by OC Insider on October 7, 2012

The OC GOP Endorsement Committee recommended endorsement of Anaheim council candidate Lucille Kring on August 20. That means Kring had filled out the OC GOP candidate questionnaire earlier, probably in July. As noted, that first thing the questionnaire asks candidates to do is signed a pledge stating:

“I WILL NOT ACCEPT CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS FROM GOVERNMENT UNIONS.”

In July, as Kring was working on garnering the OC GOP endorsement, she was also trying to get the endorsement of the Anaheim Police Officers PAC (She had already taken a $500 contribution from them).

Kring interviewed with the police union PAC. She answered their questionnaire. She nearly won the police union PAC endorsement, narrowly missing being endorsed for the second spot in the union endorsement voting (she was edged out by Steve Lodge).  Kring wanted and pursued the police union endorsement (after having already taken their money), while she was simultaneously pursuing the OC GOP endorsement. And Kring never informed the OC GOP.

Since Kring was not forthcoming with the OC GOOP during their endorsement process, you have to wonder if she also what she told the police union while they interviewed her, or when she filled out their questionnaire. Among the questions the union PAC asked candidate was whether they supported or opposed Prop. 32, to which the unions are totally opposed. If Kring had said she supported Prop. 32, is it likely she would have come so close to winning the police union PAC endorsement? Did she tell the police union PAC she was going to take a pledge against taking government union contributions; after she had already taken their money? Again, it’s hard to believe she would have come so close to winning the union PAC endorsement had she done so.

Who was getting played? The police union? The OC GOP? Both?

Posted in Anaheim | Tagged: , | 4 Comments »

Lucille Kring Violated Baugh Manifesto

Posted by OC Insider on October 5, 2012

On September 17, the Republican Party of Orange County Central Committee voted to endorse Lucille Kring for Anaheim City Council.

Three months earlier, on June 20, Kring accepted a $500 contribution to her council campaign from the Anaheim Police Officers PAC.  It can be seen on page 4 of her January 1-June 30 campaign disclosure.

This is a violation of the “Baugh Manifesto” that has governed OC GOP endorsements in non-partisan elections since 2010. This policy stated that, on a going forward basis, the OC GOP shall not endorse any candidate who has taken campaign contributions from a public employee union.

This has been a controversial policy and the subject of much media attention. There is no way Lucille Kring could have been unaware of it. She was planning to seek the OC GOP endorsement, and still took the police union’s money.

So how did the OC GOP miss that? Or did they know and endorse her anyway? The OC GOP has refused to endorse other candidates for the same offense. Two years ago, the party stripped Costa Mesa Councilmember Wendy Leece of her endorsement over a similar union issue.

If the Baugh Manifesto is to have meaning, then the OC GOP needs to rescind its endorsement of Kring, otherwise the lesson for other candidates will be you can play games with the unions and still get the OC GOP nod as long as you can hide it long enough.

Posted in Anaheim | Tagged: , , | 30 Comments »