

The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) has cleared Irvine Mayoral candidate Mary Ann Gaido, the Irvine Community News & Views and TheLiberalOC after a complaint from Irvine Mayoral candidate Gang Chen over his charges of free and favorable coverage.
According to the September 7 letter, the FPPC’s letter to Gang Chen had this:
“You alleged Mary Ann Gaido and her committee failed to report the resources she received from Irvine Community News and Views and Liberal OC in connection with her 2016 Mayoral campaign.
Under the Act, payments made by any broadcasting station (including cable television operator, programmer or producer), website, or a regularly published newspaper, magazine, or other periodical of general circulation, including any Internet or electronic publication that routinely carries news and commentary of general interests, for the cost of covering or carrying a news story, commentary, or editorial is not considered a contribution to the candidate or committee…..There was insufficient evidence to demonstrate that Irvine Community News & Views and the Liberal OC do not fall within this exception.”
So much for the frantic social media posts that Mary Ann Gaido is under investigation. And this is yet another example of how Gang Chen is woefully unprepared to handle the job as Mayor of Irvine.
Gaido issued this note to supporters and it has an interesting detail about her opponents:
Friends, I proudly signed the City of Irvine CODE OF FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES when filing papers to run for Mayor of Irvine on August 12, 2016.
“There are basic principles of decency, honesty, and fair play which every candidate for public office in the State of California has a moral obligation to observe and uphold in order that, after vigorously contested but fairly conducted campaigns, our citizens may exercise their constitutional right to a free and untrammeled choice and the will of the people may be fully expressed on the issues.
THEREFORE: I SHALL NOT USE OR PERMIT the use of character defamation, whispering campaigns, libel, slander or scurrilous attacks on any candidate or his or her personal or family life.”
Not only have I signed this pledge, but I have committed myself to conducting a campaign with integrity.
We are now 60 days away from election day, and the dirty campaign tactics have started!
For the past few weeks, my opponents have been conducting what are called “push polls.” These are designed to spread false information about candidates and drag down their image among voters. These “push polls” are less about gauging where candidates stand in the eyes of voters, but more about testing which lies can be used later in the campaign.
I am appalled to see that my opponents have not only failed to sign the City’s CODE OF FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES, but have engaged in spreading vicious lies and attacks on my integrity.
To make matters worse, one candidate went so far as to file a false complaint against my campaign with the Fair Political Practices Commission — a complaint that has no merit and is only designed to create false negative headlines.
My campaign is committed to putting the people of Irvine back in control. No longer can our city remain under the control of big developers who will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on push polls and negative attack mailers designed to lie to the Irvine voters about my campaign.
I call on people of good will to stand against this negative campaigning and insist on the right of every voter to full and equal participation in a fundamentally honest electoral process.
Wow was that fast. Of course if nothing is wrong then it should not take a long time to figure that out. On the other hand I am still waiting on the results of the Christina Shea investigation.
Its not as cut and dry as Ms. Shea would have you believe.
Dan,
Can you be honest for one time? You have good writing skills, but everyone that have met that your writing is so one-sided, and it actually turns people off. I felt the same way too. People have different opinions, but we have common senses. Do NOT think that you are the only one that is smart in the world.
You come off as someone that is VERY partisan. That is NOT helping you or the Democrat Party at all. If you can be more objective, and call a spade a spade, you will be more helpful to the Democrat Party.
I have been an Independent for 12 years until 2014, and I hope this will help me attract more votes from Independents. I registered as a Republican in 2014 because of the SCA 5. Personally, I care less about partisan fights, and care more about real issues and getting the job done. I am more a middle of the road guy, a centrist, or a moderate Republican. To me, Republican party should be a party of integrity, a party of principles and Lincoln’s party.
Since the Irvine local election is non-partisan, many people will vote across the party line too. So we are at an advantage position because we are NOT too far left or too far right.
Irvine has about 36% Independents, 32% Republicans, and 32% Democrats.
I have spent a lot of time doing research on green building and sustainable development, so “Reduce, reuse, recycle” is in my blood. Winning or losing, either way, I want to reuse the materials if possible.
FPPC has NOT exonerated Mary Ann Gaido, the “Irvine Community News and Views (ICNV),” and Liberal OC”. One complaint against them was cleared, but FPPC has opened a new case against them. See pdf entitled “FPPC Decision_160907” at this link:
https://www.dropbox.com/home/Mary%20Ann%20Gaido%20is%20under%20FPPC%20investigation
Please see our campaign website (Buy an AD if you want your website here; URL deleted) for my platform and solutions for Irvine.
“You come off as someone that is VERY partisan” Thank you Captain Obvious
I spoke with Teri from FPPC; The LiberalOC is completely cleared. Stop lying. It’s not a good trait in a candidate
Hey Gang —
Good morning Dan,
The sworn complaint filed by Mr. Chen against TheLiberalOC has been rejected.
Teri Rindahl
Political Reform Consultant
Enforcement Division
Gang, come on, partisanship is a mainstay in most publications. Are you really that blind? Geez…get with the program or, frankly, you ain’t fit to be running for any office.
See the latest info at our blog: gratuitous blog whoring link deleted.
The “Irvine Community News and Views (ICNV)” is promoting Mary Ann Gaido, and the “Irvine City News” is promoting Donald Wagner. Is this what the world has come to now? Whoever can produce a false newspaper can control the media and then control the results of our election? That is NOT the America we want. This country is great, NOT because of the few people that can control the media, but because of ordinary people like you and me. The government is the government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
That is why I am NOT signing up with Gaido’s pledge of no signs on the main streets. Signs are one of the few tools that are NOT too expensive, and ordinary people can use to express themselves, and exercise the freedom of speech.
Well, at least “Irvine City News” is “subtle” and gave all candidates a chance to publish their statement even though we know it decided to promote Donald Wagner probably from the very beginning. The “Irvine Community News and Views (ICNV)” does NOT even bother to pretend to be neutral, and shut off all other candidates and blatantly promote Mary Ann Gaido.
I hope Irvine people are smart enough to see through the false newspapers, and elect me as the next Mayor of Irvine. This campaign is not about me, but about you and the future of this great city. I am one of you. We should all team up together to say NO to special interests and the false newspaper that they use to promote their selected candidates.
Please see our campaign website (GangChenUSA.com) for my platform and solutions for Irvine.
I hope the people of Irvine are smart enough to see you’re in over your head and have no idea what the job of Mayor is all about
Gaido’s pledge was about non-disparagement of other candidates. You missed the point completely. But hey, can you sing “Cake By The Ocean” for our readers.
Wow! Gang Chen just doesn’t get it!
Enough is enough: Do NOT vote for Mary Ann Gaido, a hypocrite: blog whoring link removed by a lying candidate who had his FPPC complaint against us thrown out
By the way, what “free” resources are we providing Mary Ann Gaido?
Gang —
would like links to your blog posted here, buy and advertisement; what you are doing is called “blog-whoring.”
A the hypocrite is you; someone who argues with voters who tell you they aren’t voting for you when you know on their doors.
‘These “push polls” are less about gauging where candidates stand in the eyes of voters, but more about testing which lies can be used later in the campaign.’
Geez…isn’t this Shillary’s tactic?
And no, I’m not voting for Drumpf either.