The KeepIrvineGreat in ’08 Slate of Sukhee Kang for Mayor, and Larry Agran, Beth Krom and Todd Gallinger has received key public safety endorsements for the November 4 election.
The ticket was endorsed by the Orange County Professional Firefighters Association and the Irvine Police Association endorsed all the council incumbents.
A mailer announced the endorsements showed up in my mailbox today.Â
In 2006, the Irvine Police Association issued a strange endorsement for Beth Krom for Mayor and both Christina Shea and Sukhee Kang for City Council; some Irvine residents were led to believe the Shea was part of Krom’s and Kang’s ticket, when the reality was the IPA endorsed all incumbents.
I’m still waiting for paperwork, but everything points to Sukhee Kang making history as not just the first Korean-American Mayor of Irvine, but that his fundraising has surpasse $200,000 with about 30 percent ($60,000 for those scoring at home) coming from Irvine residents. Sukhee has a history of trying to reach across the aisle to work with Shea and Steven Choi and I wouldn’t expect this to change when he’s elected mayor (though I certainly hope we don’t have to deal with Choi after election day).
The law enforcment endorsement must be a slap in the face to not only Pat Rodgers, shown in campaign literature wearing his Irvine PD uniform, but also to Shea’s biggest shill Stephen Smith, Irvine Tattler publisher, who was a longtime member of the Irvine PD.Â
post updated on 10/26/2008
Hey Dan, as usual you are less than correct with your writings. While the Firefighters Union did endorse CAIR’s Favorite Son, Todd Gallinger, the Irvine Police Union did not.
Was I surprised, not in the least. Both groups are unions clear and simple and for the most part, Larry Agran has had them in his pocket for fifteen years. I ran the Association for seventeen years when it represented the interests of the rank and file Officers and not that of management and the City Council. The current Board majority has their heads so far up that proverbial spot that they cannot see the light of day. They are kissing managements rear and hustling their next promotion instead of doing the job they were elected to do. However, it is my understanding that the rank and file Officers have had a stomach full and will be voting the current majority out of office at the end of this month.
When I went for my Candidate interview with the Union PAC, I knew fully that it was controlled by this group of losers. They are fully aware of my long time contempt of them for selling out for thirty pieces of silver. They specifically asked me what I would do if they did not endorse me? My response was that my campaign would not loose a beat, because I have a twenty seven year track record established with the citizens of the community. Had Larry Agran thrown this up to me during the Forums, I would have publically attacked the Union just as I am doing here. As we used to do on all endorsements, there was no vote of the general membership and frankly, they do not speak for the majority of Officers. While you may try and paint this as “sour grapes,” I expected nothing more from the Irvine Police Union.
After more than a month of wafling over the endorsement process by the Union and their know nothing Consultant who I believe is based in Sacramento, the Union finally took the safe road. They endorsed only incumbrents, Choi, Agran and Krom for Council and a dual endorsement of Shea and Kang for Mayor. That is called hedging your bets.
Frankly Agran, Krom and Kang are carrying so much baggage, the Union endorsements will carry little weight with voters. More important will be the lack of prudent financial management at the City and total abdictation of responsibility at the Great Park. The conflict of interest bombshell over political contributions by the Great Park Contractors which will hit the next day or two, is not going to help their case.
All in all Dan I am prepared to wait until November 5th and see what the voters decide. Who knows, this may be one of those times when the long shot comes through in the big race. If not, I can truthfully say, “We gave it our best shot and the voters had an option.”
Pat —
Thanks for the tip; I’v ere-read the flyer and it looks like I’m correct, but I will doublecheck with Todd and post a correction if necessary, which is more than I can say for Stephen Smith and the Irvine Tattler.
I found your comments about the Police Union leadership unbelievably mean-spirited and bitter. And your comments on Todd as CAIR’s favorite son tell me all I need to know about your chracter and integrity. You’re an American who clearly hates Americans if they don’t agree with your narrowminded ideology.
But I’m glad your here at Christina’s shill Pat — readers tend to savage her when she comments and Choi can barely put two cohernet words together. So its nice that your here; how is that fundraising coming. Get a lot of money from rank and file police officers? Because those men and women are in your back pocket of course?
But I’m a little confused Pat; its all hurry up and build the Great Park from your side and now Shea says we need to slow down. Which is it?
The baggage you speak of pales in comparison to the city’s safety record, recession-proof economy, rainey day fund and high standards of living. The Great Park will be built and builty well, no matter how much your side hates not getting the credit for it. Did we get a good return on our investment of tax dollars for Shea’s attempts to get us an NFL franchise?
Mr. Rodgers,
Like I’ve said before, I’m proud of the work I’ve done with CAIR, specifically trying to expedite background checks of people applying for citizenship. Do you think we should have to wait for years (in some cases up to 7 years) for a background check to be done? This is a civil rights and a national security issues.
The fact that you keep bringing that up shows that you have nothing to talk about and only hope is to play on fear and divide the community. You & Shea & Choi have certainly been successful at empowering hatemongers, as evidenced by the last council meeting. Multiple of your supporters showed up to say that all Muslims were terrorists. Is that something you believe? If not, why not speak against it there when you gave your own remarks later.
Our campaign is based on a record of accomplishments and a goal of bringing the community together to do great things. That is what we will continue to focus on, you can keep up with the hate.