This Tuesday many voters in San Bernardino County will have the opportunity to do something 
that I will not get to do — and that is cast a vote for my long time friend and fellow conservative leader Janice Rutherford (pictured) as she seeks election to a seat on the Board of Supervisors. I have know Janice for over twenty five years, and let me assure you that she would be an outstanding Supervisor. Of course Janice, never one to do things the easy way, has decided to run against an eight year incumbent.
Janice and I have a friendship that goes back to our high school days where we both "cut our teeth" in the Junior Statesmen of America, the nation’s leading non-partisan, high-school level organization all about politics and government. We both still give back today, she as a Director and me as a Trustee, of this great group.
In the decades that I have had the privilege to both be friends with Janice, and to work with her towards promoting conservative advances locally and around California, I have come to know her as someone who is not a talker, but a doer. She is someone who not only thinks strategically, but is someone who takes those ideas and implements them, well. Currently Janice serves as a member of the City Council in Fontana, and for many years now she has worked as an aide to first Bill Leonard (as a state legislator and as a member of the Board of Equalization) and now she serves in that capacity to Leonard’s successor, acting BOE Member Barbara Alby.
**There is more – click the link**
June 4th, 2010 at 12:00 am
I’m sure Rutherford is a nice person, but her ethical record is spotty at best.
Nearly half of Rutherford’s entire campaign has been funded by ONE developer–$60,000 from David Wiener–whose projects Rutherford has rubber-stamped for years on the Fontana City Council. Not to mention thousands of dollars in gifts from the same developer. That kind of cozy financial relationship smells a lot like corruption to me!
Also, Rutherford is a career government bureaucrat who has NEVER held a private section job in the past two decades. How can we trust someone with ZERO private sector experience to downsize government. The honest answer is WE CAN’T.
My client Supervisor Paul Biane is a sucessful businessman with a strong record of supporting local Republicans and opposing government corruption. It was Supervisor Biane who turned over incriminating email records that led the resignation and arrest of former Assessor Bill Postmus. I might also add that Postmus’s former mouthpiece, Ted Lehrer, is working for the Rutherford campaign. So much for her commitment to ethical reform!
June 4th, 2010 at 12:00 am
So that FR readers know, Chris Jones is a good man, and a friend of mine for a long time. In fact, he was my “boss” of sorts for a while many, many years ago when I worked for then State Senator John Lewis. Chris was John’s Chief of Staff.
Anyways, Chris is nothing if he is not passionate about his clients — and he is a very capable consultant, indeed!
June 4th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Chris continues the Biane campaign’s rather casual relationship with the facts and fondness for inaccuracy.
Biane is the target of probes by state prosecutors, the District Attorney and at least one Grand Jury. These investigations stem from what has been termed “the biggest corruption and bribery scandal in county history.”
Biane has offered no assurances of his innocence, but instead launched a series of inaccurate and misleading attacks. Biane even admitted that they attempted to help local liberal Arty Bustamonte – putting a Republican seat in jeopardy in a vain attempt to extend his ailing political career.
Biane’s involvement in the corruption puts millions of dollars for local projects at risk. He spent thousands of dollars of taxpayers entertaining friends and family at the Fontana Speedway, and personally profited from land use decisions.
Jon is far too polite, so I will be more direct: Biane is a corrupt politician and an embarrassment to the Republican Party. Time to wash him out of office.
And in case there is any question, yes, Janice is a long-time friend and client.
June 4th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Thanks for the kind words Jon!
I notice that Tab failed to address the facts about the lavish contributions and gift showered on Rutherford by a SINGLE DEVELOPER or her campaign’s decision to hire a Bill Postmus operative. These facts don’t suggest any sort of commitment by Rutherford to ethical reform. Instead it sounds like the Old Postmus Gang is trying to punish Supervisor Biane for bringing down their hero.
June 4th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Hilarious – actually Ted mostl recently worked on the Emmerson campaign, and Elia Pirozzi I think… and its Paul who’s embroiled in a bribery scandal. Paul even admitted to pushing for an IE for the Baca Democrat in to salvage his faltering political career…
Passion for clients is good – trashing staff because they may have worked for someone who later got in trouble is not tough or effective, it’s cheap bullying in my book.
Keep spinning, though, it’s good exercise.
June 4th, 2010 at 12:00 am
I’m not “trashing” a staffer I’m pointing out that hiring one of Bill Postmus’ political operatives doesn’t exactly jive with a candidate’s stated desire to “clean up” San Bernardino County government. Neither does accepting 1/2 of your entire campaign budget from a single developer. “Spinning?” NO. Poor judgement by Rutherford YES.
June 4th, 2010 at 12:00 am
huff-n-puff, huff-n-puff
June 4th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Jon is right – Chris Jones is a great consultant who has an impressive win record in California’s Inland Valley region. His quick response to Jon’s editorial shows his commitment to his clients. Paul Biane should be pleased to have a strategist with that level of dedication. However, Mr. Jones and I have a disagreement on this race.
As Jon rightly discusses, much of this cycle in San Bernardino County is centered in issues of ethics. The local daily newspapers have been consistent in their analysis of Janice Rutherford: They consider her to be a “solid, ethical choice,” and the candidate “best demonstrating ethics and professionalism.”
They are also consistent in their opinion of incumbent Paul Biane. The Riverside Press Enterprise cautions that “giving Biane a third term as supervisor would make a joke of any talk of reform.” The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin concludes “Rutherford is as more capable than Biane, but with none of the ethical baggage.”
As for me, I did serve as then-County Assessor and former County GOP Chair Bill Postmus’ communications officer at one point. I have also worked for numerous other elected officials and campaigns throughout California, New Mexico, Argentina and British Columbia. I only accepted a position with Postmus’ Office after Supervisor Biane voted to create it along with ten other new executive staff positions for Bill Postmus (so I thank Paul for that). Of course, Bill Postmus had a very close race for assessor in 2006, a victory made possible in large part thanks to a $100,000 loan contribution from Paul Biane to Postmus’ campaign.
This is an interesting race for county supervisor. In one corner, a challenger has been recognized for her campaign for meaninful reform, while her incumbent opponent is campaigning with ethical baggage hanging over him like the Sword of Damocles. I am glad Jon covered this race for a wide readership.
June 4th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Stop the presses! Jon Fleischman is a dad!!!!!! Congratulations Jon and best wishes for mom and baby girl! From personal experience, fatherhood is awesome!
June 6th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Jon Congratulations