Great news! Democrats who’ve been worrying about keeping control of Coastal Congressional District 47 after being abandoned by the ambitious Katie Porter, Democrats still reeling from the one-two punch of Harley Rouda’s brain injury and Dave Min’s DUI, can now rest easy – Mike Schaefer will be running for that seat, and Mike can’t lose!
Does Mike even live in that district? Who knows? Who cares? It’s Mike Schaefer and he does whatever he wants!
Yes, THAT Mike Schaefer from the Board of Equalization, the legally and ethically mega-tarnished 85-year old who just handily won re-election against decent Democrat Dave Dodson, due to Mike’s unflagging support from California Democratic Party leadership and other amoral, transactional players.
Mike’s big selling point is this: He promises to only serve ONE TERM, just in case Katie doesn’t make it to Senate, allowing her to reclaim her Congressional seat in ’26. (That’s, if you believe him, of course.)
WAIT. ONE LITTLE WRINKLE though. As the Register reported last week, the octogenarian, unaware that California was REDISTRICTED two years ago, accidentally filed to run in the wrong district, the 45th, and he still has to see if it’s too late to fix that mistake. So at the moment the dirtbag is running against Michelle Steel and Kim Nguyen, who may be scratching their heads over whether to take this development seriously, or, more likely, to join each other in a moment of derisive tittering.
But, if Mike can just iron out that one little wrinkle and file for the right district, then… MY MONEY’S ON THE SLUMLORD! Schaefer’s fabulous campaign website hardly needs to be updated, but let’s be objective and look at his wikipedia page:
John Michael Schaefer[1] (born March 25, 1938) is an American politician and former perennial candidate who served on the San Diego City Council from 1965 to 1971 and then ran for 33 local and state offices in California, Arizona, Maryland, and Nevada for nearly half a century before unexpectedly winning election to the California Board of Equalization in 2018.[2] Schaefer is the oldest Californian to serve in a state constitutional office.[3][4] . .
Wait a second – there’s obviously one glaring error there, just one word: “FORMER” perennial candidate? Scratch “former.” Moving on…
In 1970, he was arrested for bribery and conspiracies charges in the 1970 Yellow Cab bribery scandal, but was later acquitted after an eleven-hour deliberation by a jury on January 21, 1971.[11][12]
Schaefer bought properties in multiple states, including the Schaefer Hotel which he bought for $450,000, and he was successfully sued by his tenants in Los Angeles for the low quality of his housing and they were awarded $1.83 million.[4][10]
In 1993, he was convicted of misdemeanor spousal abuse and was later disbarred by the Nevada Supreme Court in 2001.[11] In 2015, he was ordered to pay $328 to his live-in landlord.[13]
In 2013, comedian Brad Garrett filed a restraining order against Schaefer, stating in his application: “As a celebrity, I am very concerned about stalkers who seek notoriety by associating themselves with me.” Under the order, Schaefer is also banned from the MGM Grand Las Vegas.[14]
All of that is old news though (and didn’t prevent the well-funded Mike from beating Dodson 59% to 41%) – and we know you come to the Orange Juice Blog for NEW, BREAKING STORIES that you don’t hear anywhere else! Well, here’s one we’ve been sitting on since the election:
In the 2022 primary the leading Republican candidate, who looked the most likely to be Schaefer’s opponent in November, was our longtime acquaintance Orange Councilman Denis Bilodeau, who used “taxpayer advocate” as his ballot designation. Some San Diego lady named Rena Marrocco sued him over that designation; Denis out of curiosity looked through Rena’s Facebook friends and noticed Schaefer’s top assistant Will Rodriguez-Kennedy.
The law firm Rena used was a high-power Democratic firm from LA, Strumwasser & Woocher, and they just kept calling and bugging Denis every day, telling him that if he’d just change his designation they would drop their suit and he wouldn’t be liable for their legal fees “which will be substantial.” Intimidation. Fuck those guys. Denis prevailed in court and kept his “taxpayer advocate” designation, as he is in fact chairman of the Orange Taxpayers’ Association.
Oh, but the important part – Schaefer’s campaign ended up paying the legal fees to Strumwasser, on behalf of the shill Rena. THAT IS ILLEGAL. “File a complaint with the FPPC!” said Dodson to Bilodeau, but Denis felt like letting it go. “Forget it, Jake, it’s just Mike Schaefer.”
So, what do you think? Maybe Joanna, Dave, and Dom of the Technicolor Weave should drop out and get behind this winner?
I’m sarcastic because I’m angry. I’m still angry that this Schaefer clown beat Dodson (AND Bilodeau) and that it was the doing of powerful Democrats.
And whether Katie Porter gets into the Senate or not, if we lose CD 47 and don’t regain the House majority, a LOT of people are going to be angry at Katie.
Vern out.
Let’s recall Ada’s pivotal role in that: Dodson was a sacrifice to her boundless ambition.
I’m in an online pissing match right now because Malia Cohen was getting a lot of face time at the convention last weekend, and I blasted her on the page of a friend posting his photo with her for her refusing to take a stand on this race, when she knew both of them and knew that Dodson was highly qualified and Schaefer was a racist grifter.
People were upset that I was picking on Malia. But I’m not going to let that dereliction of duty to the people of this state lie quietly. It was craven even by CDP standards.
I was TOLD (and maybe it was true, but I shouldn’t have had to be TOLD) that Ada and the DPOC supported Dodson.
If it was true, it wasn’t real apparent. Schaefer was even allowed to give a big campaign pitch at last year’s Truman Dinner. I suffered through it.
If Ada said that, she’s a fucking liar. If anyone else said that, they may have the excuse of being deluded. Her union’s endorsement helped Schaefer immensely — and it was mostly about her wanting not to go against the simply idiotic CDP leadership. If the DPOC endorsed him in a whisper — was it something about putting his name on a few doorhangers after voting had already begun? — that’s worth exactly zero. Ada knows how to make noise when she wants to — and the things he’s said in meetings about opposing the legal mandate to print reports in Spanish, for example, were right up her alley. She knew about it — I wrote about it enough to ensure that — and just chose not to do it due to kudzu-like personal ambition.
Vern, nice you noticed my campaign.
Call me anytime to chat.
I think all of Orange County owes a duty to be there for Katie Porter–for US Senate, and if that doesn’t happen, to a continued great career in the US House. Only Mike Schaefer can make that happen. You know it. Admit it. I am the in the right place at the right time with credentials and experience that will make Orange County proud.
Schaefer called me after that first comment. He sure knows how to schmooze. He mostly talked about piano playing and the places I could play down near where he lives – which, as we were wondering, is La Jolla (far from the district.)
I asked him to send in another comment about what he’s done on the BoE these last five years, since that’s what he’s elected, and paid, for. So far I just know he “rattles a lot of cages,” and is not happy with the current Chairman who is gearing up to run to be the next state Treasurer. (Many people including Bilodeau see the whole Board as unnecessary and redundant, and think it’ll be phased out soon.)
He sees 24 months in Congress as a “farewell tour” for Mike Schaefer, and he likes to say “If somebody can get elected with the baggage *I* have, then ANYONE can get elected.” LOL. I guess you could say that about Trump too.
Remember my writing that he charmed me initially? He’s a great raconteur. But don’t be lulled into thinking that he’s harmless: he has beaten up women, screwed over tenants in his slum buildings, defied judicial orders to pay sanctions, been disbarred twice, and is only a Democrat because that was the better way to get elected in his district, so he really doesn’t care if his getting into the race helps a Republican win.
I speak only for myself here, not for the blog. Want to sue me for libel, jerk? Your meetings are filmed, bozo; I can document it all.
Oh, and his making a pledge to serve only one term means absolutely nothing. And if he ran against Katie in 2024, the idiotic CDP would probably endorse him over her as a “Democratic incumbent.”
I have been asked about my achievements for Orange County on the Board of Equalization. Good question. As a businessman/taxpayer’s representative I oppose late fees and fines when there is a showing of good faith. I favor fewer staff members and more work from us elected members; speaking out and seeing that every phone call and letter is answered. Public concern over Prop 19 is on front burner, to preserve inheritance property values(for tax purposes). Our ongoing fights with the Legislature. It is good to have elected taxpayer advocates and not another set of Governor’s appointees.
You have no achievements on the BOE except for collecting a paycheck, spending too much on assistants who promote your campaigns while contributing nothing to the larger Board’s efforts on tax policy, making racist statements, and advising the board to take illegal actions. Having a position on an issue is not an “achievement,” dotard. And you did nothing about Prop 19 when it was coming up for a vote; you just came up with a position on it once it was clear that people were regretting it.
*Whoa to all of us. Katie Porter; “What the heck are you doing?” As one of the best people in the Congress you make this stupid move for the US Senate. Who blew smoke up your skirt? This is a sad commentary on personal hubris and ego attitude. Can’t anyone in the Congress ever be humble? Just once?
*Whoa to all of us is right!
PS this canvassing job, and my upcoming concert, are really taking away my time to write stories. I got so many in the hopper – Ashleigh inviting the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence while Chaffee bans the Pride Flag; Disneyland Forward; Narcan vs. Fentanyl; Meet Danny Fierro; and much more! Patience…
Although I enjoy your article, immensely I demand a retraction on Will Rodriguez, Kennedy. My name is Ilka Weston. I am the person who volunteered as a consultant to my friend David Dodson. I have had talks with Greg Diamond to leave Will Rodriguez Kennedy alone. He was falsely accused. And the district attorney here in San Diego came to those conclusions. People do not deserve to be attacked when people miss use sexual assault. Everything else you said about Renner and Schaefer very true but why not question His 160 thousand taxi driver Bridger who gets a brand new car just to drive them to and from meetings? Why not mention issues of concern where they count. Your writing style is really good, but it is totally improper to state, false statement, blog, or not. And I will be his consultant next time he runs, and that would be David Dodson as well. Please retract and apologize to Will Rodriguez, Kennedy, hence forth.
Okay.
I know what it’s like to be falsely accused, I was just going with the news stories I found. My bad Will.
Thank you very much for your reflection. And again my name is Ilka. I helped with David ‘s first run and I was answering every call and walking for David daily and guiding him as a consultant for no charge so David Dodson is my friend and will confirm that. And it’s very hard when you’re a progressive Democrat, like myself to make sure we get the right people in there. I am a controversial individual. But I believe in speaking the truth, and only the truth. Again your writing style is very nice. Thank you for being reflective.