Commentary: Argument for `political reform’ is disingenuous

Councilman Keith Curry’s recent manifesto of “political reforms” for the city accuses fellow council members of corruption and undue influence from lobbyists (“Commentary: Newport Beach needs political reform,” Feb. 10).

Really?

Curry is throwing stones from a glass house. Curry has run for office three times, twice for Newport Beach council, and of course, his failed 2014 Assembly campaign. He’s raised large sums from lobbyists during his 10-year political career. In his professional career at PFM, Keith Curry lobbied government agencies for business as part of his job.

Curry wants you to believe that lobbyists just like him are ruining our city, and calls for them to register.

Lobbyist registration is a solution looking for a problem. If the mayor is so inclined she could appoint a blue-ribbon panel to explore the idea of lobbyist registration.

The committee’s first job will be to define a lobbyist; does the chamber president who lobbies the city qualify? Would a former mayor and senior citizen advocate qualify? Would a slow-growth icon have to register? How about a clean-water advocate? Would a former mayor and City Council fundraiser qualify?

Curry is in the twilight of his of his career. His “reforms” are the reflection of a liberal politician with ideas voters have rejected.

Curry doesn’t want anyone who opposes his political agenda on council to raise the money he raised. Others must do what he says, but not what he does. Even more patronizing, Curry acts as if only he and his defeated pals from the old guard care about the city.

Curry doesn’t understand that the community exercised its First Amendment rights to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars for change at City Hall. They donated because politicians like him violated our trust. Big government politicians like Curry think regulation is always the solution. I think throwing folks like him out of office is a better solution.

Curry wants you to believe that the new “Team Newport” is made up of bad people and accuses them of doing exactly what he did for a living and while in office. His proposed reforms were really just veiled mudslinging at people he views as his political opponents.

Attorney and businessman MICHAEL SCHROEDER is the former chairman of the California Republican Party and co-chairman of the California for Ted Cruz campaign.