Okay, lots of procedural things out of the way…
7:20 PM: Oath administered. I’m officially an alternate.
7:21 PM: Officeholders and candidates in the room introducing themselves: Baron Night, Dean Grose, Jose Moreno, Brett Franklin, Charles Hart, Dwight Robinson, Tony Beall, Mike Munzing, Kim McCarthy, Mike Mortenson, Debbie Cotton, Elizabeth Emken, Jim Dahl, Karina Onofre, Ellen Adonizzio, Jim Reardon, Carlos Olvera, Brian Chuchua, Roy Byrnes, Steven Vargas, Diane Harkey, Lucille Kring, Brett Barbre, Denis Bilodeau, Jon Dumitru, Deborah Pauly, Alexia Deligianni, Cathy Schlict, Mark McCurdy, Jeff Mathews, Lynn Schott, Bruce Whitaker, Wendy Bucknum, Ceci Iglesias, Barry Levinson, Susan Hinman, Sam Allevato, Erik Peterson, Robert Hammond, Jennifer Fitzgerald, Brad McGirr, Christina Shea, Don Wagner, Alexandria Coronado, Chuck Puckett, John Nielsen, Doug Davert, George Collins, Adam Nick, Steve Nagel, Michelle Ollada Alipio, Bill Brough, Lupe Moreno, and Chris Norby.
7:27 PM: Minutes approved.
7:28 PM: Chairman Scott Baugh discusses the importance of candidates stepping up at all times not just around the candidates’ own elections.
7:29 PM: At the request of Chairman Scott Baugh, Orange County Board of Education Trustee Robert Hammond discussed being at the County School Boards Association meeting where the attendees complained low voter turnout will allow “the Republicans from Orange County to defeat Prop 30 and Prop 38.”
7:30 PM: Baugh describes the 13 open OC GOP GOTV HQs and mentions 3 more are on the way.
7:31 PM: Baugh speaks of the Costa Mesa Charter Amendment being a priority of the Republican Party.
7:33 PM: Committee Alternate Bill Dunlap speaks of the importance of getting out the vote. Only 26% of OC voters cast their ballots in June. He describes a number of party-sponsored get-out-the-vote efforts.
7:36 PM: Baugh delivers the 1st Vice Chair’s report on behalf of John Warner: the report included information about the next countywide precinct walk as well as information about Congressman John Campbell agreeing to fund a GOTV headquarters in the City of Orange.
7:38 PM: Fullerton RWF President Beverly Gunter speaks of RWF’s efforts to fundraise, phone bank, and precinct walk for candidates. She presents a $900 check from RWF to subsidize
7:39 PM: My boss from my day job, Chris Norby, speaks of his race for re-election.
Endorsements Committee Report
7:41 PM: Endorsements Committee Chair Mark Bucher begins his long-awaited report. He speaks of Prop 32’s 55%-37% lead despite “Yes on Prop 32” not starting any advertising until today while “No on Prop 32” had been pounding away for a month. He also speaks of the finances of the Prop 32 battle.
7:43 PM: Now he actually begins his long-awaited report on endorsements…
7:44 PM: Bucher thanks fellow Endorsements Committee Members Chandra Chell, Thomas Gordon, Ray Grangoff, Matt Harper, and Mary Young. He describes the endorsement procedures and goes over the list. (Here’s the list again. Here and here are the live blogs of those meetings.)
7:48 PM: Parliamentarian Kermit Marsh says the Endorsements Committee may not recommend a dual endorsement while the Central Committee can make a dual endorsement (in reference to the contest between Brett Franklin and Charles Hart for Santa Ana City Council, Ward 3).
7:50 PM: Bucher continues his report briefly summarizing the more controversial contests.
7:52 PM: The list is moved with the following pulled from the list:
- Sam Allevato for San Juan Capistrano City Council (original recommendation was postpone to October) pulled by Diane Harkey
- Lynn Schott for Irvine City Council (original recommendation was for endorsement) pulled by Scott Baugh
- Measure FF (original recommendation was for endorsement of Yes on FF) pulled by Deborah Pauly
- Jennifer Fitzgerald for Fullerton City Council (original recommendation was for endorsement) pulled by Tim Whitacre
- Brian Neil Chuchua for Anaheim City Council (original recommendation was no endorsement) pulled by Tim Whitacre
- All Mission Viejo candidates (original recommendation was for endorsement of Frank Ury and Wendy Bucknum, but not Cathy Schlict nor Ed Saches) pulled by Scott Peotter
San Juan Capistrano City Council – Sam Allevato
8:02 PM: Debate begins. State Assemblywoman Diane Harkey moves and Lucille Kring seconds to endorse Sam Allevato for San Juan Capistrano City Council. Allan Bartlett and Deborah Pauly will speak against.
8:04 PM: Harkey speaks of being dragged through the mud in politics. She states many lies have been spread about Allevato. She says there are five high schools in San Juan Capistrano: one public and four private. She speaks of heavy congestion from the proximity of the schools. She gets booed when she attempts to speak over time.
8:07 PM: Baugh reiterates the time limits.
8:08 PM: Pauly speaks of the controversy about the tax on religious schools and the property tax increases. She speaks of the importance of following the process in which the endorsements committee recommended delaying consideration of San Juan Capistrano City Council until October.
8:10 PM: In an unusual action, Harkey speaks again in favor of Allevato since no one else is planning to speak in support of him. She speaks of the debt and septic issues in the City of San Juan Capistrano.
8:13 PM: Slight delay as speakers exchange places.
8:14 PM: Bartlett praises Harkey. He speaks against Allevato due to Allevato sending a 2010 mailer supporting Larry Agran and opposing Jeff Lalloway.
8:16 PM: Jon Fleischman asks for the Endorsements Committee’s rationale behind recommending a delay until October.
8:16 PM: Bucher explains several candidates applied late and that many people had concerns about the candidates.
8:17 PM: Don Wagner asks about the Allevato Irvine mailer that was pro-Agran and anti-Lalloway.
8:17 PM: Allevato says he works for Forde & Mollrich but not on the campaign side. A quote was included from him as a retired IPD Lieutenant supporting Larry Agran.
8:18 PM: Bartlett says, “For the record, Jeff Lalloway opposes the endorsement of Allevato.” Harkey says, “For the record, Jeff’s my alternate!” Baugh rules both out of order.
8:19 PM: In response to a question, Allevato defends the tax on the religious school as a student impact fee that the school agreed to pay. He goes on to explain the intricacies of student impact fees in San Juan Capistrano.
8:23 PM: Harkey asks Allevato to explain various land use decisions.
8:24 PM: Allevato speaks of various issues related to sewage costs from a plant in San Juan Capistrano.
8:26 PM: Baugh states it looks like the committee is not supportive of the motion to endorse Allevato.
8:26 PM: Harkey says he wants to go for it, and his wishes should be respected.
8:27 PM: Allevato says he (and Ginny Kerr) answered his questionnaire on time and got his signatures. Allevato says the other candidates failed to do so.
8:27 PM: Bartlett moves and John Draper seconds a substitute motion to delay to October (restoring the Endorsement Committee’s original recommendation).
8:28 PM: By voice vote, the committee refers the Allevato endorsement back to the Endorsements Committee.
Elizabeth Emken Speaks
8:29 PM: Bucher asks Baugh to let Elizabeth Emken speak, and Baugh agrees.
8:30 PM: Former CRP Chair Ron Nehring praises the OC GOP. He praises the efforts of the OC GOP on behalf of Assemblyman Allan Mansoor and Costa Mesa Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer. He speaks of watching the DNC. He praises Mitt Romney and blasts Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. He begins to introduce Elizabeth Emken by speaking of the importance of fighting for every seat from Mosquito Abatement District to U.S. Senate.
8:33 PM: Emken demands that Feinstein discuss her record. Emken speaks of her own education and financial background. She speaks of her efforts on behalf of her autistic son and other autistic children. She speaks of her efforts to lobby Congress. She says, “Obamacare is bad for everyone.” She challenged Feinstein to debate and notes even the LA Times says Emken deserves the right to debate Feinstein. She says the LA Daily News and the OC Register agree. She says 123,000 people have seen the footage from ABC 7 in Los Angeles of Feinstein refusing to agree to debate. Emken asks for money and plugs her web site.
Santa Ana City Council, Ward 3 – Brett Franklin and Charles Hart
8:41 PM: There was a quick discussion that although the Endorsements Committee did not have the power to recommend a dual endorsement in Santa Ana City Council, Ward 3, that the Central Committee does have that power and so both Brett Franklin and Charles Hart are endorsed.
8:42 PM: Baugh asks for a vote again just to make sure. The Central Committee votes unanimously to endorse both Franklin and Hart.
Irvine City Council – Lynn Schott
8:43 PM: Baugh speaks of the 25-year inability of the Republican Party to remove Larry Agran from the Irvine City Council. He speaks of the OC GOP prioritizing Costa Mesa this year. Baugh asks Lynn Schott about her former alternate Patrick Rodgers who attacked the Costa Mesa Council majority and the Costa Mesa Charter.
8:46 PM: Schott says Rodgers was a strong supporter in 2010. She says she was completely unaware of Rodgers’s statements until the Endorsements Committee meeting. She says she tries to not read blogs. She condemns Rodgers’s statements and “repudiates” the attempt to frame Righeimer for DUI. Rodgers admitted to her that he had gone too far. She obtained his resignation on September 7 (the same week that she learned of his statements). She says she fully supports Prop 32 and opposes the unions’ efforts to “consolidate their power over choosing City Councilmembers” and other governmental bodies. She says she is against defined benefit retirement programs and favors defined contribution retirement programs.
8:51 PM: Schott is endorsed by a unanimous voice vote.
Orange City Measure FF
8:51 PM: Villa Park Councilwoman Deborah Pauly speaks of being contacted by numerous Republicans expressing their concerns about Measure FF. Pauly says the “No on FF” side did not get a chance to speak to the Endorsements Committee. She says thousands of Republicans, independents, and Democrats signed a petition to get a referendum to force FF on to the ballot. She says this is an issue that is divisive to Republicans, and she moves that the Republican Party take no stance on Measure FF.
8:54 PM: Orange Mayor Pro Tem Denis Bilodeau speaks of the landowner wishing to build 36 homes on 50 acres of land on a 4-1 vote, who he notes the 1 is a Democrat who is receiving bundled campaign contributions from “No on FF.” Bilodeau says it is a property rights issue and makes a substitute motion to endorse Measure FF (reverting to the original recommendation from the Endorsements Committee).
8:57 PM: Marcia Gilchrist speaks in favor of Bilodeau’s substitute motion. She says the people objecting to the construction of the homes are trying to impeded a property owner from doing what they want with their own land.
8:58 PM: By voice vote, the OC GOP endorses “Yes on Measure FF.”
Fullerton City Council – Jennifer Fitzgerald
9:00 PM: Tim Whitacre moves to not endorse Jennifer Fitzgerald for Fullerton City Council, with Allan Bartlett seconding. He speaks of Barry Levinson’s efforts on behalf of Fullerton. He says Levinson is no longer seeking the party endorsement to prevent divisiveness in the OC GOP. Whitacre provides an email showing Fitzgerald asking Tony Bedolla on behalf of her client (Troy Edgar) to bundle $99 contributions from union members.
9:03 PM: County Supervisor Shawn Nelson speaks of being the only person in the room to face $1.2 million in hostile union IEs. He speaks of the 2002 successful effort to drive Democrat Jan Flory off the Fullerton City Council, but Flory is running again. Nelson speaks of her history working for Republicans. Nelson says he previously supported Levinson, but Levinson has made two unsuccessful bids for Fullerton Council. He notes a conservative woman has not been elected to the Fullerton City Council since 1986.
9:06 PM: Baugh notes that in the OC GOP union-free pledge, the party welcomes contributions of individual union members but not of the union itself.
9:07 PM: Fullerton Mayor Pro Tem Bruce Whitaker notes that his city has had two recalls in two decades. He says there is an opportunity for Fullerton right now. He says he has a bias in favor of activism. He says Republicans should have bold colors not pale pastels. Whitaker expresses his concern about her relative lack of public statements on issues other than outsourcing the Fullerton Police Department to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Whitaker urges OC GOP neutrality between Fitzgerald and Levinson.
9:09 PM: My Central Committee member arrives, so my alternate voting power is gone. I now only wear one hat as your intrepid blogger.
9:10 PM: Mary Young speaks of knowing Fitzgerald for 19 years. She says if someone is an activist for 17 years but is gone for 2 years, that 2 years of inactivity does not outweigh the 17 years of activism.
9:11 PM: By voice vote, the committee did something. No one is sure what happened.
9:12 PM: There is now a standing vote.
9:15 PM: The count is 31 people voting in favor of the party being neutral between Fitzgerald and Levinson, and 23 people voting in favor of endorsing Fitzgerald.
There is no endorsement for Fullerton City Council, other than incumbents Bruce Whitaker and Travis Kiger, who were endorsed in August.
Anaheim City Council – Brian Neil Chuchua
9:16 PM: Tim Whitacre moves to endorse Brian Chuchua, with Baron Night seconding. Whitacre notes Lodge opted to withdraw his own endorsement request. Whitacre warns of the union’s big push in Anaheim. He says that Mayor Tom Tait needs all the help he can get. He says Tait lobbied the party to not endorse Lodge. Whitacre praises Chuchua as a good conservative who can help Mayor Tait.
9:18 PM: Baugh asks Whitacre if Tait has endorsed Chuchua.
9:18 PM: Whitacre says, “Tait has not yet endorsed Mr. Chuchua at this time.”
9:18 PM: Jon Fleischman says he is uncomfortable voting to endorse Chuchua if Mayor Tait has not endorsed him. He wants to hear from Mayor Tait.
9:19 PM: Pauly asks for the Endorsements Committee to clarify its rationale against Chuchua.
9:20 PM: Mary Young notes that Chuchua gave money to a Democrat.
9:20 PM: Ray Grangoff express his concern about the lack of the endorsement from Tait.
9:20 PM: Supervisor Shawn Nelson asks who the Democrat was.
9:21 PM: Chuchua says the Democrat was Anaheim City School District Candidate John Santoianni, “a personal friend.”
9:21 PM: Lucille Kring notes that Mayor Tait has only endorsed John Leos so far. She notes Tait has not endorsed a second candidate.
9:22 PM: Thomas Gordon notes Kring told she’d prefer Chuchua as her Council colleague.
9:22 PM: Tim Whitacre says he has been reimbursed by Chuchua for various expenses related to Chuchua’s campaign.
9:23 PM: There is a standing vote. There are 29 votes in favor of endorsing Chuchua, and there are 11 votes against endorsing Chuchua. Chuchua joins Lucille Kring as the OCGOP-endorsed candidates for Anaheim City Council.
Jesse Petrilla Returns
9:26 PM: Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman Jesse Petrilla is given a standing ovation after returning within the last week from his service with the Army National Guard in Afghanistan.
Mission Viejo City Council
9:28 PM: Baugh reads the minutes from the Endorsements Committee, though several Central Committee members ask me if Baugh is reading this post since the minutes sounds a lot like OC Political.
9:31 PM: Ray Grangoff speaks of Bucknum’s strong conservative record and property rights record.
9:33 PM: Larry Gilbert brings up various documents and exhibits showing Frank Ury backing Democrat Dave Leckness and Wendy Bucknum with a union-paid sign in her yard, with her support for Leckness and Trish Kelley, neither of whom were endorsed by the OC GOP. (Scott Voigts says, “Wow” throughout Gilbert’s remarks.) Gilbert shows a campaign finance report showing Ury linked to Democrats.
9:36 PM: Baugh has to ask Gilbert to leave the stage after Parliamentarian Kermit Marsh repeatedly stated that Gilbert’s time was up.
9:37 PM: Young argues Leckness has a conservative voting record and that activist Shirley Morgan had tried repeatedly to make Leckness re-register as a Republican. Young asks what in Leckness’s voting record is not conservative.
9:38 PM: Bill Dunlap says the party should not pick between winners and losers because there are two spots and four Republicans seeking the seat.
9:39 PM: In response to an audience question, Baugh notes there are four Republicans among the six candidates.
9:39 PM: Peotter moves for no endorsement in Mission Viejo, and there is a near-unanimous voice vote for the OC GOP to be neutral in Mission Viejo.
Fountain Valley City Council – Steve Nagel
9:40 PM: Nagel endorsed with all but one vote.
Garden Grove City Council – Steve Jones
9:40 PM: Steve Sarkis moves and Denis Bilodeau seconds to endorse Steve Jones for re-election to Garden Grove City Council.
9:41 PM: Tim Whitacre moves to not endorse Jones because Jones has endorsed Democrat Tom Daly for State Assembly.
9:41 PM: Jones denies endorsing Daly.
9:42 PM: Baugh asks if he’s endorsed Republican Assembly Candidate Jose Moreno.
9:42 PM: Jones endorses Moreno on the spot.
9:42 PM: By voice vote, Jones is endorsed unanimously.
Newport Beach City Measure EE
9:44 PM: A representative speaks of a charter commission that amended various charter provisions seeking to update 58 year old language, streamline government, and reduce costs by eliminating class-action lawsuits.
9:47 PM: Scott Peotter blasts the measure’s compensation provisions that legalizes generous salaries and benefits for Councilmembers. He notes the Register opposes EE.
9:49 PM: Miraculously, Deborah Pauly and Jon Flesichman unite to make and second a motion to send Measure EE to the Endorsements Committee in October. The Central Committee applauses stunned that Pauly and Flesichman are united. They vote unanimously to support the Pauly-Fleischman motion.
Tustin City Measure HH
9:50 PM: Doug Davert says Measure HH eliminates Tustin City Council compensation.
9:50 PM: The vote to endorse Measure HH passes unanimously.
Central Committee Business
9:51 PM: Mary Young updates efforts on voter registration, including from Assemblywoman Diane Harkey.
9:53 PM: Norm Dickinson speaks of various bylaw cleanup amendments including conforming ex officio membership requirements to Prop 14.
9:56 PM: The bylaw amendments pass unanimously by voice vote.
9:57 PM: Zonya Townsend presents the Volunteer of the Month Award to Shalon Norman. Various other people make presentations to Norman.
10:03 PM: Parliamentarian Kermit Marsh is pleased to report there have been no ethics complaints so far in 2012. Marsh disputes the election polls, and notes the 21-14 football victory of #21 Stanford over #2 USC.
10:05 PM: There’s a report from Diane Glinchey regarding the Romney campaign efforts in OC and in several swing states.
10:07 PM: Ronea Hart speaks of the Team Santa Ana precinct walk at the Santa Ana GOP GOTV HQ and the Santa Ana TEA Party meeting.
10:08 PM: One speaker notes today is the 225th anniversary of the Constitution.
10:09 PM: Steve Sarkis reports on his discoveries of enormous signs for “No on 32” being delivered to a union hall.
10:09 PM: Mike Munzing plugs his fundraiser for Aliso Viejo Council.
10:10 PM: Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman Tony Beall spoke of the GOTV HQ in his area.
10:11 PM: Kermit Marsh wins the raffle after pulling out a huge wad of tickets. He says the key to winning is buying the most tickets. Marsh’s victory is verified, and the meeting adjourns.
The Republican Party of Orange County Central Committee met on August 15 and August 31 to consider endorsements for local offices and ballot measures. Further endorsements will take place on September 19 (and possibly more after that).
OC Political 