Former California Republican Party Chairman Mike Schroeder had to navigate his black Humvee through five different security checkpoints through an exclusive community in the hills of Glendora, on the west end of the 59th Assembly District represented by Anthony Adams, to get to an exclusive mansion where over a hundred guests would soon gather for a high-priced fundraising event benefitting Adams. While these multiple checkpoints, manned with a combination of private security, Glendora police, and California Highway Patrol, were erected to ensure that none of the protesters gathered at the bottom of the hill, irate about Adams’ recent vote for the largest tax increase in state history, would be able to get up to the event – Schroeder was given clearance at each checkpoint, and was let up to the house around 5pm, a little before most guests would arrive for the event. Schroeder, however, did not have a ticket to the event. On the contrary, Schroeder is one of the last people in the world that would write a check to help Adams stay in office. So why, you might ask, was Schroeder allowed up to the top of the hill, past all of the security measures? The answer is simple – he carried in his possession the Recall Petition, signed by 55 of Adams’ constituents, that had to legally be handed to Assemblyman Adams, in order to move the recall forward. By law, Schroeder could not be hampered in his mission of serving this legal document.
Adams met with Schroeder briefly, and Schroeder (dress all in black, of course) handed him the petition, saying, “ On behalf of taxpayers in the 59th Assembly District… Let the games begin!”
And with that, Adams took the petition, scanned it, folded it up and put it in his jacket pocket, and he and Schroeder quickly parted ways.
Schroeder ended up formally serving the petition because there is some quirky rule that says that it must be served by someone who had not actually signed the petition themselves.
Schroeder came back down the hill and rejoined a crowd of about fifty pro-recall demonstrators that were position on the side of the road, in a special “demonstration area” that had been designated for them by the Glendora police department. As the guests drove in for the exclusive event, they were met with the signs and chants of those critical of their support for the Assemblyman who broke his written pledge to oppose tax increases. In fact, when Governor Schwarzenegger drove by in his motorcade, with the window down and waving the anti-tax demonstrators, he was treated to a loud chant of “Liar! Liar! Liar!”
Pretty much all of the days’ activities were played out on the popular John and Ken Radio Show on KFI Radio. Here is a link to their podcast page. If you listen to the 5pm segment, and go to the 33:30 mark – you can actually hear Schroeder talking on the air about the process of serving Adams, and going through all of the checkpoints.
So far, John and Ken listeners alone have donated over $70,000 in support of qualifying the recall. This is in addition to the direct fundraising efforts of the RecallAdams.org campaign.
What happens now? Proof of service of the petition will be given to the Registrar of Voters, and Adams will have seven days to respond in writing to that petition. Then an actual formal petition will be approved (with the pro-con arguments on it) and supporters of a recall have a few months to gather around 35,000 valid signatures of registered voters in the 59th District. If they do so, then the Governor must call a special recall election.
I know one angry constituent of Adams who is watching this closely, and in fact he was the first signature on the forms served to Adams last night. Retired State Senator Dick Mountjoy, who is a very popular political figure in that Assembly seat, much of which he represented for decades in Sacramento. Mountjoy has shared with me that if a recall qualifies, he will place his name on the ballot. Ironically, Mountjoy is only eligible to serve one last term in the State Assembly, having served two full terms already. But, one is enough, I suppose!
In the meantime, up on the hill last night, the gala event was quite the affair. The view from up there was amazing, one of our sources told me. As I said earlier, over a hundred attendees came out in support of Adams. The Mayor of Glendora led the pledge of allegiance, and retired State Senator Bob Margett led an invocation. The Governor’s remarks, predictably, were very supportive of Adams and his “courageous vote” for the budget deal.
Interestingly, there was one surprise guest in attendance last night. Straight from the Central Coast, fellow tax-hiking, pledge-breaking Republican State Senator Abel Maldonado apparently was on hand to show his solidarity for Adams, though sources confirm that he did not have a speaking role at the event.
We’ll keep following this very credible, serious recall effort as the effort to qualify it for the ballot moves forward. We can predict, after John and Ken’s very successful Tax Revolt 2009 Rally in Fullerton a few weeks ago, with over 10,000 attendees, that they will be hosting a similar event in Adams’ district, just as soon as those petitions are ready for distribution…
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