BULLETIN: At approximately 11 a.m., Saturday Nov. 4th, Lance MacLean, Mayor of the city of Mission Viejo, was caught red handed tampering with a campaign sign owned by Diane Greenwood, one of his top competitors. Observing him doing this in broad daylight, after having lost 300-500 of her signs, Diane called 911 which resulted in three OC sheriff cruisers and later a motor who arrived at the scene to take a police report.
I have watched Mrs Greenwood putting in unbelievable hours walking precincts throughout Mission Viejo making herself available to answer any residents questions on the key issues facing our city. You can imagine how Diane felt when we spoke this morning. The incumbents are worried, and they should be, about this outsider taking one of their plush city council seats on Dec 2nd.
On the campaign trail Lance boasts of Mission Viejo being one of the safest cities in the nation. That distinction is based in part on low crime. In his list of endorsements you find the name of “Sheriff-Coroner Michael Carona.”
The sad part of this story is that we sometimes give out endorsements before we really know the character and integrity of those who request said support.
I wonder if our sheriff would have taped the recorded messages we received this past week if he had been aware of Lance’s blatant conduct in violating campaign rules and laws.
In yesterday’s flood of campaign literature was a card paid for by “the Committee to elect Lance MacLean” asking “How do we keep Mission Viejo Safe? Ask the Sheriff.”
I would love to ask Mike for his reaction to this morning’s election law violation!
The Republican Party of Orange County got it right when they denied Lance MacLean’s request for their endorsement.
And finally Lance’s flyer that reads “Conservative Leadership We Can Trust.” Trust him to break the laws?
Larry Gilbert
Email just received from Mission Viejo city council candidate Diane Greenwood.
“Dear Friends and Citizens of Mission Viejo,
“Integrity is what you do when nobody is watching.”
Today our mayor and candidate for city council Lance Mac Lean was caught tampering with another candidates campaign sign. He was caught in the act and his answer was “I can do anything I want to”. He, in broad daylight at the corner of La Paz and Marguerite pulled Diane Greenwood’s sign out of the ground. It was witnessed by several people, including Diane, and four Mission Viejo Sheriffs deputies responded to the incident. The sign has been taken into custody as his fingerprints are on it, and tampering with political signs is against the law in the state of California.
Our mayor Mac Lean and past mayor JP Ledesma have spent the past week sending out hate mail re the other candidates, and placed hate signs around the city last night against Diane Greenwood and Bill Barker.
They will stop at nothing……and our own mayor will even break the law to win this campaign.
Is this who we want in office again in Mission Viejo….a mayor who feels that he is above the law??”
LG Note. Above text as received. Edited to keep the focus on the tampering incident.
Larry
Childish.
On both sides.
Grow-up.
Anonymous.
Childish. You bet. But being told that somewhere in the neighborhood of $10,000 worth of campaign signs are missing in Mission Viejo I can understand how many of the candidates feel about their signs disappearing.
I received another input this afternoon where two of our city’s old ladies, members of the Saddleback Republican Assembly, were seen removing a sign belonging to Capo Unified School District candidate Le Bon, in broad daylight.
It goes beyond childish. It demonstrates hatred of candidates who just happen to be running against our choices. I did not vote for Ms. Kathryn Le Bon but I do have empathy for her losing signs in this election.
Larry
tampering with or removing or knocking down campaign signs is a misdemeanor which carries a $1000 penalty. so no wonder those caught stealing signs, deny it.
but more importantly, political signs are a visual expression of our first amendment rights. and tampering with same is not only the same as trampling on our freedom of speech but is also a form of censorship, by limiting public expousure of the candidates. cathy schlicht
Larry,
For the record.
Someone could report martian’s landing at Marguerite and La Paz.
It would look like this:
11/4/2006 10:43:53 AM 11/4/2006 10:45:23 AM 06-215243
Suspicious circumstances. MARGUERITE PKWY // LA PAZ RD
So What?
Looks like Lance McLean, fresh out of jail is testy.
You got caught red handed, admit it, resign and move on.
Can Diane Greenwood explain why she is the only Republican candidate for office in Southern California endorsed by both the Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, and the Democrat Woman’s Political Caucus?
Larry,
What is a hate sign? Why did Frank Ury support two candidates endorsed by Earth First?
Mission Viejo is such a bad place to live. Why do you all stay there?
Anonymous at 1212. Earth First, Really?
You need to really make sure your tin hat is not on too tight, there is so little blood getting to your brain, you must be worried.
The issues in Missio Viejo are traffic, senior transportation, and quality of life. How you can defend Maclean for taking signs? There is no EF endorsment in the city, but hey, don’t let facts get in the way of your “happy place”
It is time for Gilbert and Schlicht to start getting their facts right on the first amendment rights. You can not violate others rights and then claim they are violating your rights. You can not post your signs in front of others and then when they are moved claim “foul”.
Schlicht, who is the dog of mission viejo, oops..”lap dog of FU” that is…is still the laughing joke of MV. She does more harm to a candidates program then good. Seeing her standing on a corner with a candidate’s sign is a sure vote against that candidate and anything else she stands for.
And for the record.. Mr. McLean only move a sign out of the way of his sign and did not “knock it down” The sign was on public right-away and according to the laws of Mission Viejo, it is trash. If the sign is on private property, then its a different story. As far as “hate mailers” I believe your candidates started the “mud slinging”. Like one bloger wrote..”Mission Viejo is such a bad place to live. Why do you all stay here?” Schlicht, Gilbert..Move!