My email box and cell voice mail are overflowing with reports that voters in the CD-48 got robo calls for Rep. John Campbell (R-Shady Canyon). Wasn’t he just re-elected?
The calls featured a women’s voice (nobody seems to remember the organization responsible for the calls), but she seems to represent a conservative Republican organization telling residents in CD-48 how much the Congressman has done for the district in education, healthcare, the environment and public safety. And I’m thinking, “whoa, isn’t that Beth Krom’s record?”Â
John Campbell didn’t do anything for this district in education when he was a state legislator let alone as a Congressman.  On healthcare, all I can remember is the “veterans commit fraud line for the coffeehouse visit in Tustin when voters asked about funding healthcare for Iraq war veterans, but little else. The environment? Well can someone point to one thing Campbell has done to protect the coastal environment other than turn down what would have looked like an earmark for Dana Point? Public safety? Specifically, what? Even Campbell supporter Tyler H at Red County acknowledges Campbell “doesn’t need a record” as he’s an incumbent Republican Congressman in the OC. So even Tyler acknowledges Campbell has no record.
Could it be that Beth Krom is already starting to worry Campbell? Because I’m drawing a blank on Campbell’s record in any of these areas. Krom, as Irvine’s mayor, helped pass matching city funds for Irvine Public Schools based in IPSF fundraising. She was a solid yes vote on the I-CHIP program to help needy gets get health insurance. On the environment, Krom helped drive Measure W and Great Park development plans. And on public safety, under Krom’s watch, Irvine was the FBI’s top choice for safest city in the US for four years in a row.Â
Let’s go one better – fiscal responsibility. City reserves tripled under Krom’s leadership which is why BusinessWeek says Irvine is one of the best places to ride out the recession. Campbell voted for every boondoggle offered by the Bush Administration. How can Campbell justify “yes” votes on the Bush bank bailouts but vote “no” with his party on the Obama ones?
So much for Adam Probolsky’s Irvine World News column calling on a principled Campbell voting consistently for low taxes and smaller government. Guess Adam forgot Campbell’s urging fellow Republican colleagues to vote yes on the Bush bank bailouts — you know, the one that didn’t provide any restrictions on how the money was spent. You might want to spend time reading that paper you now write for, Adam (and Adam, surrender the notion that only Republicans are principled public servants…voting no along with your party on every practical idea isn’t principle — its suicide, especially when Campbell voted yes to many of Bush’s big government conservative agenda items).
Krom announced her Congressional run three weeks ago. The announcement on her Q1 fundraising is due out Monday with a goal of $50,000. I’ll post on this for Monday, but Krom blew that goal out of the water.
Campbell’s record in Congress consists of votes against education, children’s health (S-CHIP), and a vote against the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 which guarantees women equal pay for equal work. How is this a bad idea? Campbell touts his business experience. Is it good business practice to shortchange a woman sales rep in favor of a male sales rep or is it something an accountant would think is prudent?
We’re still a long way off from November 2010, but Campbell or someone concerned about Campbell is already concerned enough about his seat to issue Robo-Calls 18 months before the next election. I am eager to see Campbell debate Krom and defend his record.Â
Or lack of a record.
So if you got a Robo Call, please tell us about in the comments.
Interesting. Robocalls are illegal in CA. More here about the law. Get the PUC to enforce the law.
http://www.stoppoliticalcalls.org/ht/d/DoSurvey/i/25151
Shaun Dakin
CEO
StopPoliticalCalls.org
Dan,
I am curious about your “Overflowing” comment.
Was it Ten messages? Twenty? Fifty?
This is a real indicator of the electorates response to incumbant office holders.
My voice mail holds about thirty messages, my email three hundred.
If you recieved these kind of numbers the OC machine needs to get behind Beth Krom.
If you you were a little over eager to make your point and the numbers were fluffed a bit we need to know also as this will result in another Deb Cook or Prop 8 debacle.
I for one would like to know who and how many recieved such a call. Especially if it’s illegal!
But we elected a president with no record. Did you support him? A
nd are you claiming that Campbell broke the law. If so, you have an obligation to report hi. If not, you are lying. Which is it?
I received a robocall this week from Accountable America. It was very ANTI-Republican and specifically attacked John Campbell. It was a fast talking woman.
I think the politicians get around the California law by using out of state vendors. There are no laws against political robocalls in most states.
Ironically, though, Campbell promised not to do robocalls in his 2008 race. I guess he didn’t think Steve Young was as much of a threat as Krom.
I got a robo call, but it was from “Americans for Accountability” warning against the “party of deception” and reminding me that “John Campbell is in the party of NO” The call also made the point that John Campbell refused to accept financial assistance for the 48th district available in the federal stimulus package…Let the campaign begin!