Wagner’s campaign: recent contributions

I perused records on Contributions Received by Don Wagner’s Assembly campaign—referred to this morning by Rebel Girl. (See also here.) Here are some “highlights.”

Evidently, DON WAGNER loaned himself $100,000.

The COMMITTEE TO ELECT TOM FUENTES contributed $3,900.00. Presumably, this is money left over from Fuentes’ recent reelection campaign.

The FAMILY ACTION PAC—a local right-wing group—made contributions amounting to $3,000.

Some familiar OC right-wing regulars have contributed to Wagner’s campaign, including JIM RIGHEIMER, JAMES LACY, HUGH HEWITT, LEE LOWREY, SHAWN BLACK, HOWARD KLEIN, and JOHN EASTMAN.

I noticed that one MICHAEL CORFIELD contributed. He’s an attorney for the Young Men's Christian Association Of Orange County. I seem to recall that he was Raghu Mathur’s hapless attorney when Mathur sued me for reporting his violations of a students privacy rights.

Other familiar names among contributors:

GLEN ROQUEMORE, $1,000.00
WILLIAM HEWITT, $1,000.00
JOHN WILLIAMS, $500.00
RAGHU MATHUR, $500.00
JOHN WILLIAMS, $300.00
MARCIA MILCHIKER, $300.00
TOD BURNETT, $250.00
WILLIAM JAY, $250.00
ROBERT COSGROVE, $250.00
RONALD ELLISON, $100.00

Don Wagner's Dough plus Don under Attack by "Atheist Professors" (Rebel Girl)

As we all know, trustee and board president Don Wagner is running in the Republican primary for the state assembly for the seat vacated by Chuck DeVore.

Two days ago in his blog Total Buzz, OC Register reporter Martin Wisckol reported that the "money is flowing in the race for the 70th Assembly."

excerpt:

"A lot of dough is being laid on the table by the three Republicans vying for the Assembly seat being vacated by Chuck DeVore, R-Irvine. And most of it is from the candidates (sic) own pockets. Bottom line? It looks like it’s anybody’s race at this point, and a lot of campaign money could be spent before it’s over.

Irvine attorney Don Wagner, who sits on the South Orange County Community College Board, raised the most through the end of 2009, according to campaign finance reports due Monday. He raised $142,000 - including $100,000 he loaned his campaign - and had $113,000 remaining in his account."

The other two candidates, Steven Choi and Jerry Amante, raised $105,000 and $115,000, respectively.

In the comments section, Wisckol directs his readers to the links for the campaign disclosure statements for each candidate.

Now Rebel Girl is a curious gal, so she clicked over and ran through the names of the people who are bankrolling Wagner's bid for office. She wanted to see who had ponied up, who supported Wagner's ultra-right platform and was willing to put money down to see it promoted in Sacramento.

Needless to say, she recognized quite a few donors. Some were the usual suspects and others were surprises. Wagner scores some bucks from his fellow trustees, from the two college presidents and even Raghu. (College presidents write bigger checks than chancellors.) Lots of lawyers. And a few college professors. It all adds up. Ka-ching.

Emilee Tello, by the way, (yes, that Tello) is identified as "treasurer" on page 4. You might remember her last stint as a campaign treasurer for disgraced congressional candidate Tan Nguyen, he of the infamous "emigrado" letter and the unforgettable song sensation, Stand by Our Tan. The case against Nguyen (he faces obstruction of justice charges) is still moving through the courts. Good times.

To see the list of contributors for yourself, click here.

You'll need to scroll down to page four.

To remind yourself what Wagner stands for, just visit his campaign website by clicking here.


You'll find a link to Don's "issues" - the typical dirty laundry list: jobs (he's for them), crime (he's against it), taxes (no, no, no), families ("the bedrock of our civilization," "defend marriage"), etc. No surprises.

BUT check out the issue front and center on his home page: "We need more faith in public places," declares Don. Readers are encouraged to: "Help defend Don from the attacks."

Who is attacking Don?

"Atheist college professors" and "anonymous students."

excerpt:

"Don Wagner is no stranger to the fight for religious freedom – but today, Don is the target of the misguided efforts of the left-wing Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and needs your help.

Westphal v. Wagner, filed in 2009 by Americans United on behalf of a group of atheist college professors and anonymous students, targets Wagner, as president of the South Orange County Community College Board of Trustees, for opening district commencement ceremonies, awards ceremonies, and other events with invocations. These well-educated adult plaintiffs argue that they are “offended” and “uncomfortable” listening to a simple invocation before a college ceremony.

It has long been the aim of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State to drive any mention of God from public life, failing to recognize that the U.S. Constitution does not require open hostility to religion. Americans United suffered a major setback to its efforts when Wagner filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on the grounds that it was legally untenable and should be thrown out in its entirety – and the atheists’ attorneys actually agreed! But then, unwilling to accept the reality of the law, nor the role that God plays in American society, Americans United has rewritten the complaint and filed it again."

Now, Rebel Girl has read parts of the lawsuit. It's worth noting that not all the plaintiffs identify as atheists.

Professor Karla Westpahl declares herself an atheist but Professor Allanah Rosenberg identifies herself a a "devout Jew." Professor Margot Lovett testifies that she "was raised Jewish." Professors Claire Cesareo-Silva and Roy Bauer identify as agnostic. By Rebel Girl's reckoning, that's one atheist, two Jews and two agnostics - plus a self-identified "deist" student. But who's counting? Not Don. (Read the lawsuit here.)

Of course, for candidate Don Wagner's purposes, the "college professors" are all "atheist," - perhaps because their gods, their beliefs are not his...and his? Well, his are the only ones that count.

Or maybe he just wants the money, you know, the bucks he'll get to hold himself up as the defender of the one true faith.

For the rest of Wisckol's post, click here.
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