Businessman pumps $200,000-plus into Fullerton recall

By LOU PONSI / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER FULLERTON A local businessman who runs a political blog has poured more than $200,000 into a recall campaign targeting three councilmen, according to election statements. A campaign opposing the recall, headed by a member of the Fullerton Planning Commission, has countered by spending $89,000.

Business owner and blogger Tony Bushala of Fullerton is spearheading a recall campaign targeting three councilmen in the city. Tony Bushala founder of the Friends for Fullerton's Future blog, and a vice president of a local firm that owns and manages properties in the city is spearheading the campaign aimed at ousting Councilmen Don Bankhead, F. Richard Jones and Pat McKinley. The lifelong Fullerton resident launched the campaign in September, mostly for what he says has been poor leadership by the three in the wake of the death of Kelly Thomas, a homeless man who died after a July 5 altercation with police officers; two cops face charges. "We are recalling you because you failed to recognize who you are supposed to be working for," Bushala wrote in an email to the Register, referring to the three. "And it took the murder of an innocent man at the hands of our Police Department for us to finally recognize that." But Fullerton Planning Commissioner Larry Bennett, leading a campaign opposing the recall, said Bushala is on a "power trip" and wants to gain control of the City Council to further his political and financial agenda. Bushala has a history of providing "lavish campaign contributions" for political allies and forming committees to attack the competition, Bennett said. "Would there have been a recall? Probably," Bennett said. "But the Kelly Thomas (death) has definitely given him a reason to have a recall. ... I think Tony understands that if you control the City Council, then you can control the Planning Commission. By controlling the Planning Commission, you have the power to encourage or discourage businesses in town." Said Bushala: "If I wanted to further my own financial interest, don't you think I would have just made campaign donations to Bankhead, Jones and McKinley and not spearheaded a recall? Using Bennett's logic, it would have been a lot cheaper."

Of the $221,444 spent on the recall, out of two political-action committees, less than $500 has come from sources other than Bushala. Included was nearly $100,000 for a signature-gathering effort to help qualify the recalls for the ballot. The campaign targeting Bankhead, Jones and McKinley needed petition signatures from 10,554 registered Fullerton voters 15 percent of the city's total to get each recall measure onto the ballot. Nearly 18,000 were submitted for each petition in February. "Even though I am fortunate to have the resources to finance most of the recall, there are dozens of volunteers that have dedicated thousands of hours to make this very important endeavor possible," Bushala wrote. The election disclosures cover through May 18. Three council candidates received financial support from one of the Bushala-backed committees, Fullerton Taxpayers for Reform, from $2,200 to about $14,000. While Bushala has almost single-handedly funded the recall effort, the committee opposing the recall, Protect Fullerton Recall NO! has collected donations from 310 individuals and groups. The Fullerton Police Officers' Association, the union representing Fullerton police, has given the largest amount: $19,000. "We're opposed to it (the recall), because we don't think the councilmen have done anything wrong," said Cpl. Barry Coffman, president Fullerton's police union. "The recall movement is spearheaded by one individual who wants to strengthen his position in the city." Thirteen candidates are running in Tuesday's recall election against the three incumbents: five targeting Jones, whose term is up in December, and four each targeting McKinley and Bankhead, whose terms are up in December 2014. If any of the three recalls is approved by voters, the top vote-getter would replace the incumbent. In the election booth, voters can mark "yes" or "no" on whether to recall each of the three council members. Either way, voters can select one candidate to replace each incumbent. If any recall is approved by voters, the challenger with the most votes for that seat takes office. Contact the writer: 714-704-3730 or lponsi@ocregister.com