Irvine Mayoral Candidate Gang Chen Warns Sign Thieves: “The Cops Will Come After U”

Since we spotted several Gang Chen for Mayor signs sprouting up across Irvine several months before the November election, we’ve left three voice mails to his Bay area number and emailed the campaign asking for an interview.  He replied to an email this week and accused this blog and “its supporters” of stealing campaign signs and that we need to put them back.

HA!

Here’s his reply:  “We have followed all rules of the city regarding street signs. We notice some of our campaign signs are missing, and we reported this to IRPD. If you or any of your supporters have taken our signs, you need to put them back, or police will go after u.”

“Tell your readers and supporters not to take the signs too because it is illegal.”

“Stealing campaign signs is illegal. There is no excuse for illegal act.”

I’ve never seen the term IRPD used to describe the Irvine Police Department, but that’s just one clue how little Chen knows Irvine. I’m flattered to think Chen believes I have the time or inclination to steal his signs, but he can’t be taken seriously.

The city has a voluntary sign pledge for political candidates not to place political signs for the coming election until 60 days before election day.  Most candidates sign.  Chen has not.  The pledge stems from multiple complaints from residents about political clutter — candidate signs close to an election are OK.  Months away, not really.  Chen emphasized because that ban is voluntary, he isn’t going to follow it.  A big “up yours” to Irvine voters.

If signs are missing, Chen might want to check with various HOAs in Irvine that prohibit this sort of thing altogether.  I know signs within the Woodbridge homeowners association were removed and others may have been removed by the city depending on where they were placed.

But Chen is a candidate that believes the mayor can add more AP classes in Irvine schools, reduce class sizes in Irvine schools, and bring high paying jobs to Irvine.  That’s mostly school board work, not the mayor’s job.

But we’re glad to hear that Chen is concerned about the law.  Veterans groups are very concerned about the number of new voters in neighborhoods near the Great Park who are Chinese citizens and not American citizens.  Registering to vote without citizenship is also illegal.  Chen might want to remind those new voters about the law.