I posted yesterday on the sleazy mailer from the Orange County Employees Association, accusing Anaheim City Council candidate Jordan Brandman of breaking the law — without any evidence whatsoever.
Illustrating just how unhinged Anaheim politics have become in a few short months, you have a member of the Orange County Labor Federation (OCFL) attacking a candidate who as been endorsed by the OCFL.
Keep in mind that no OCEA mail goes out without the approval of General Manager Nick Beradino.
And keep in mind that Berardino is a Vice President of the California Labor Federation — of which the Orange County Labor Federation (OCFL) is a part.
In other words, a senior officer of the state labor federation is funding a smear of a candidate endorsed by a local affiliate of the organization of which he is an officer.
It’s analogous to the Vice Chairman of the California Republican Party funding a hit on a candidate endorsed by the Orange County Republican Party.
Brandman has filed a complaint with the OCFL seeking an investigation and possible sanctions against OCEA, writing in a letter to CLF head honcho Art Pulaski:
This mailer blatantly attacks my integrity without any evidence and I refuted all accusations long before this mailer was sent (press release attached). I find this action by OCEA and its General Manager Nick Berardino who is also a Vice-President of the California Labor Federation very disturbing and ask for your immediate investigation and consideration of sanction against OCEA for violating long-standing practice to not attack fellow labor endorsed candidates in elections.
The animus of Berardino and OCEA toward Brandman is no secret, but an uneasy truce was put together during the maneuverings over OCFL endorsements in the Anaheim City Council election. The private sector unions backed Brandman but not Leos, and vice versa for the government unions. It was ultimately agreed that neither wing of the OCFL would block the other’s chosen candidate, clearing the way for OCFL to endorse both Brandman and Leos.
OCEA’s rash attack mailer essentially shatters that agreement.
And regardless of one’s partisan affiliation or preferences in the Anaheim City Council race, the OCEA’s mailer should be considered pretty scurrilous. Accusing someone of breaking the law, in the absolute absence of any evidence, is wrong.
“…And regardless of one’s partisan affiliation or preferences in the Anaheim City Council race, the OCEA’s mailer should be considered pretty scurrilous. Accusing someone of breaking the law, in the absolute absence of any evidence, is wrong.”
Thank you Matt – I hope the OCGOP takes note as well since they have been funding hit mail at the urging of Tom Tait and John Lewis with the same baseless attack on Brandman. If Tom Tait has any principled credibilty left, he will make a full, public apology to Jordan Brandman when this ridiculous allegation is dismissed. Let’s hope this dirty political tactic does not ultimately impact the outcome of the election.
Tom Tait didn’t make these accusations against Jordan Brandman. If you recall it was Kathie Smith and Amin David. I don’t think the DA would investigate this if there wasn’t some amount of credible evidence.