Those of us who live and work in the political scene are more likely to remember which of the board members on a random school district are up for re-election next year, than our mother’s birthday.
It is in that spirit that I launch the OC Power Broker Series and encourage my fellow FR contributors
to do the same in their region. If you landed in Orange County and needed to get a quick lay of the land of government and politics and media or you needed help on a political/government related issue here is the beginning of the list of go to people (in no particular order).
1. Me. I say this not because I am the solutions to your problems/answer to your dreams, but I know one thing for sure–my limitations. Like most of the people listed below, I would never take on a project that was outside their sphere of expertise. Rather true power brokers know when to refer to the right talent.
2. Scott Baugh. As chairman of the OCGOP he has his hands in all things political. As lobbyist for the county and other government entities he has his hands in everything that is government. The most affable man you’ll ever meet, he has a disarming personality. He is friend to all, but rarely compromises on principle. Law partner to former Speaker of the Assembly Bob Hertzberg, Baugh has great ability to operate in Sacramento on both sides of the aisle.
3. Steve Sheldon. Started in the very grassroots of the Republican politics. He grew up in a pretty political family, his father is Rev. Lou Sheldon. Over the last decade Steve has become a highly successful lobbyist and operates a PR firm with locations in Newport Beach, San Diego and the Inland Empire. The Sheldon Group is one of the premier land use and entitlement firms on CA. Sheldon has just about every big name developers as a client. Earlier this year Steve was appointed to an open seat on the Orange County Water District. In years past, he was a redevelopment commission for the city of Anaheim.
4. Roger Faubel. A former Edison public affairs guy, Faubel started a public affairs firm in the late 90s. As a key consultant on the anti-airport fight, Faubel quickly became one of the most sought after names in PR and media relations. Often thought of as south county centric, Faubel’s shop actually does work throughout the county. Faubel was also appointed to a water district (Santa Margarita) and is a former Mission Viejo Councilmember.
5. George Urch. In Republican Orange County, Democrat power brokers are few, but Urch has a long history of operating in The OC. He is currently district director to Assemblyman Tom Umberg. Generally shy about his acumen, Urch knows more than he lets on.
6. Mike Schroeder. Almost too obvious, but no list of OC key players could be complete without him. A close advisor to both OC Sheriff Mike Carona and OC DA Tony Rackauckas, Schroeder is an attorney and owns a highly successful insurance business. A former State GOP chairman his is a master at parliamentary procedure, media relations and political strategy.
7. John Lewis and Matt Holder. Both of them have the skills and influence to have their own entry, but it is just easier to put them together. The pair who are business partners lead the strategy team that defeated a countywide measure this month that would have transferred Prop. 172 $s from the DA and OC Sheriff to the OC Fire Authority. John a former state legislator was first elected as a young idealistic hard-core conservative. Holder a former Lewis staffer and veteran of more campaigns than he might care to remember, is a brilliant tactician. The two operate Lewis Consulting Group. Their clients include OC Sheriff Mike Carona and OC Sups. Chris Norby and Bill Campbell.
8. Denis Bilodeau. An unlikely power broker some might say, but look further and you will see a man connected to just about everyone and everything. A former Spitzer staffer (when Todd was a the Board of Sups.), Bilodeau is an elected member of the OC Water District and a member of the Orange Planning Commission. Those positions alone put him in the mix of most of Orange County’s development projects. Until recently Denis was a public member of the OC Transportation Authority. A traffic engineer by trade, Denis is one of those people who seemingly know everything that is happening in The OC.
9. Jim Lacy. This Dana Point city council member is the master and wrangling control and keeping it. A veteran of the Reagan Administration, Lacy is an attorney, mostly for non-profits. He owns, runs, and or operates a political firm and several major slates most notably the "Non-Partisan Candidate Evaluation Guide" #1 statewide and the Howard Jarvis "Save Prop. 13" slate. Lacy has his hands in many of the below-the-radar government agencies in Orange County.
10. Curt Pringle. It goes without saying, but the Mayor of Anaheim is a leader well outside his city limits. Hands-down the most strategic mind to hold elective office in Orange County, Pringle made a name for himself as a young member of the State Assembly who actively engaged in ground-warfare politicking in his district, a lost art these days. Rising to become GOP Speaker of the Assembly, Pringle left Sacramento, started a public affairs firm and then got elected Mayor. His firm has its tentacles throughout the state with clients in water, development and industry.
These are some of the first people I would go to if I were in need to help with government or wanted to run for office or was just thinking of locating my business in OC. But there are many others that have just as big an impact.
So feel free to email me and nominate someone (or yourself) for my next 10 in the OC Power Broker Series.
NOTE: For purposes of full disclosure, I am likely to have done business with, played poker with or made a political contribution to any and all of the above.
[Publisher’s Note: I noted the absence of Jon Fleischman from Adam’s "Top Ten" list. Perhaps it ist time to do interviews for a new OC Blogger. Stripped of his post, maybe Probolsky would drop to seventh or eigth on his own list. LOL. – Flash]