The DPOC should choose Jeff Le Tourneau to be their next party chairman

The race to see who will replace Frank Barbaro as the new Chair of the Democratic Party of Orange County (DPOC) is down to two candidates – longtime activist Jeff LeTourneau and paid consultant Henry Vandermeir.

The DPOC is at a crossroads – Orange County is less red than ever. The Democrats picked up another legislative seat this November when Sharon Quirk-Silva won in the 65th Assembly District, with capable help from Vandermeir’s wife Lois, who is also a paid consultant.

There is nothing wrong with being a paid political consultant. I do some of that work too. But should paid consultants be heading up political party organizations? I don’t think so.

To make matters worse, Vandermeir works as the Executive Director of the Democratic Foundation of Orange County. As such he is competing for the same donor dollars that he will be expected to pursue as the Chairman of the DPOC. That is a major conflict of interest!

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Art Pedroza Editor

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

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