Thursday, June 25, 2015

Another one bites the dust (Fuentes' hagiographer reportedly caught with hand in the cookie jar)

Wu: oops
"So much has changed in my life since I met Tom, and he has guided me through all of it. Who will guide me now?"
     Here’s a curious little story. Some will recall that the late Tom Fuentes had some peculiarly avid admirers, including Register columnist Frank Mickadeit and Newport Beach Republican activist Jack Wu. Wu’s writings about Fuentes were so fawning that I dubbed him Fuentes’ “hagiographer,” although Mickadeit equally deserved that description.
     Well, in today’s OC Reg, we read that Congressman Dana Rohrabacher [has filed a] complaint that treasurer Jack Wu stole from [Rohrabacher’s] campaign:
     Congressman Dana Rohrabacher has filed a complaint accusing his former campaign treasurer, prominent Newport Beach Republican activist Jack Wu, of stealing nearly $175,000 from his re-election committee.
     The congressman fired Wu last month after committee members found just $187 in an account that was supposed to have about $185,000, Rohrabacher’s staff said Wednesday. They said Wu has stolen at least $173,500….
     Say it ain’t so!
     It will be interesting to see where this story goes.
Mickadeit

DtB mentionings of Jack Wu:

P.S.:
     The OC Weekly’s R. Scott Moxley informs us that Nick Gerda (Voice of OC) broke this story yesterday:

Dana Rohrabacher’s Campaign Treasurer Accused of Embezzlement
“Upon discovering this information, Mr. Wu was immediately replaced as committee treasurer and the bank account was frozen. The committee confronted Mr. Wu with these allegations and Mr. Wu admitted to taking approximately $173,500 in funds from the committee’s account. The committee also demanded immediate, full restitution, and Mr. Wu promised to do so, but as of this date has failed to do so.”
On Wu's Twitter account: "Kick ass for da Lord!"

Hans Vogel


Reagan and Vogel, pals
     Earlier today, the SOCCCD community received an email from the district noting the passing and singing the praises of the district’s first board president, Hans Vogel (1922-2015):
     Dr. Hans W. Vogel, President of our first Board of Trustees, recently passed away at the age of 93.
     It was Valentine’s Day in 1967 that residents approved the formation of Saddleback Junior College District, dubbing it the “Sweetheart of Orange County.” In July 1968 the board hosted then-Governor Ronald Reagan for a high-profile dedication of Saddleback Junior College. Dr. Vogel would ultimately serve as Board President four times in his eight-year tenure….
     Over the years, in an attempt to understand our benighted district, I've written about Vogel often. It's pretty clear that Vogel—a war hero, successful volleyball coach, contractor, lawyer, and right-wing paranoid—was a very interesting man and someone perhaps best viewed, as they say, as a man of his time. He sure was!
     Not long ago, I was surprised to learn that Vogel had a significant role in the political career of Ronald Reagan. (Some will be impressed; others will be horrified.) Two years ago, I encountered this description of Vogel in a book by Tom Rogers, chairman of the OC GOP from 1969 until 1972:
     Hans Vogel was one of the first county residents to become involved in conservative politics. As a local businessman and bookstore owner, Hans was able to gather a circle of friends and associates to informal discussion concerning many issues. He was an early supporter of [John Bircher] John Schmitz, but his most impressive accomplishments was to sponsor a book-signing event at his Tustin bookstore, featuring a rising star in GOP politics, Ronald Reagan who had written a book Where’s the Rest of Me? [1965] The event was a success by all standards, and really introduced the future governor to local conservatives who came away with a signed book and a determination to support Ronald Reagan in his political career.
     Hans was also active in the County Republican Central Committee as publisher and editor of the Observer. [Elsewhere, Rogers explains that Vogel did an excellent job in that role. The Observer faded from the scene many years ago.]
DtB posts mentioning Hans Vogel:
"Utt" Library, September 1972


Roy's obituary in LA Times and Register: "we were lucky to have you while we did"

  This ran in the Sunday December 24, 2023 edition of the Los Angeles Times and the Orange County Register : July 14, 1955 - November 20, 2...