Venezia: It’s all go on the political scene
It’s another busy week on our local political scene.
Congratulations go out to Lynn Hackman-Selich, wife of termed-out Newport Beach Councilman Ed Selich, on her new position chairing the City Arts Commission.
If you’ve ever listened to the weekly radio show that she co-hosts with Tom Johnson, dubbed “Sunday Brunch with Tom & Lynn,” you know she’s passionate about how arts enrich a community.
I’m a regular contributor to the show on KOCI/101.5 FM. Last week in the studio was termed-out Costa Mesa Councilman Gary Monahan.
Over the past few months, Monahan has accompanied Costa Mesa council candidates Lee Ramos and Julie Mercurio to the studio for interviews while I was there. But now with former state Assemblyman and Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor in the November race, I suggested the field of candidates, who are like-minded with Monahan, was too crowded; they could find themselves working against one another. Monahan didn’t disagree.
Mayor Steve Mensinger is seeking reelection, and this group is hoping to both replace incumbent Sandy Genis and fill Monahan’s seat.
So who should drop out?
The likely person is Mercurio, only because she’s the newcomer.
Ramos has been walking precincts since 2014, when he last ran for council, and he’s ready to compete.
Mansoor is the wild card. Will voters welcome him back?
Many were supporting him in his bid to keep his Assembly seat in 2014, only to be disappointed when he seemed to chuck it all and run for county supervisor that year against Michelle Steel, who eventually won.
Voters didn’t give him the nod there, and he was out of a job. Many of Mansoor’s original supporters abandoned him, and that’s why Steel won.
Trust will be the biggest issue he’ll have to overcome with constituents, as his opponents will likely paint him as a political climber.
In Newport, council candidate Jeff Herdman filed a lawsuit Friday naming City Clerk Leilani Brown after receiving a letter from Brown the week before. The letter stated that after she consulted with outside counsel, she determined the city charter prevents Herdman from being a council member for one year after he completes his service on the city Civil Service Board.
The opinion meant Herdman can’t be seated on the City Council this year.
The suit states, “Defendant refuses to process plaintiff’s nominating paper as a candidate for the upcoming city council of Newport Beach election.”
In a county where you can’t spit without hitting a lawyer, it’s easy to find one who will take on your legal viewpoint. With that in mind, I emailed Brown asking how she chose the law firm to get the opinion that Herdman isn’t eligible to hold office.
Did she explore several firms? And why couldn’t the city attorney give the opinion?
“All of your questions relate to attorney-client privileged information, and I am unable to comment,” Brown wrote back.
Her answer raised even more questions in my mind as to who directed her to the law firm she ultimately picked.
Herdman won’t go away without a fight. He told Johnson he’s planning to be onstage for the Newport Beach council candidates’ Feet to the Fire Forum at Orange Coast College on Aug. 17. The next day is the Costa Mesa council candidates forum.
Before then, it is candidate crunch time through Aug. 12, as all candidates must file a declaration of candidacy or a statement of write-in candidacy with elections officials to legally qualify to run for office. The exception is that if an incumbent who is eligible for reelection fails to file a declaration of candidacy by Aug. 12, the filing period is extended to 5 p.m. Aug. 17 for all qualified people other than the incumbent, according to the Orange County registrar of voters’ website.
In Newport Beach, Councilman Tony Petros won’t be seeking reelection to his District 2 seat, and though it first seemed like Petros was handing the election to newcomer Shelley Henderson, now Brad Avery, a harbor commissioner, has thrown his hat in the ring.
And because of the aforementioned exception, there’s still a good chance more candidates could appear right up until Aug. 17.
I talked to political consultant Dave Ellis this week. He too feels that’s a possibility.
Ellis confirmed he will be handling the Newport council campaigns of Avery, Lee Lowrey and Will O’Neill, but he wouldn’t comment on the Costa Mesa race just yet.
Many will remember that in 2014, Ellis refused to allow his “Team Newport” candidates to participate in Feet to the Fire. They were elected based on campaign mailers.
I’m not convinced residents this time will be so complacent now that they’ve gotten to know this “team.”
Ellis tells me he has yet to talk to his current candidates about this topic, and no decision has been made as to whether this crop will participate in Newport’s Feet to the Fire.
He’ll keep me posted.
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BARBARA VENEZIA lives in Newport Beach. She can be reached at bvontv1@gmail.com.