Dirty Laundry-Opinion
Inside Yorba Linda Politics
The information in this post is a public record, has been verified and can be found on various social media sites including:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/228002265653509
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=yl%20families
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Background: Recently hometown “boy”, Jess Battaglia, decided to run for City Council. He was excited about giving back to our community and felt that he could help keep Yorba Linda special and unique. Unfortunately, behind the scenes shenanigans worked against him and quickly ended his aspirations. So much for the little guy and grassroots leadership. It now appears that Yorba Linda is stuck with a political establishment candidate, Janice Lim, that was chosen by insiders.
Those tagged in the demise of Jess Battaglia’s short political “career", in favor of Parks and Rec Commissioner, Janice Lim, include:
*Peggy Huang, Candidate for OC Superior Court Judge #13 and current Council Woman
*Young Kim, Incumbent for US Representative, 40th District
*Philip Chen, Incumbent for State Assembly
*Craig Young, Defeated Yorba Linda City Councilman
*Tara Campbell, Yorba Linda City Councilwoman
*Janice Lim, Yorba Linda Parks and Rec Commissioner
*Sara Catalan, Janice Lim's campaign manager
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Below is an unedited post of how a grassroots candidate,
Jess Battaglia, was defeated even before the race began.
Very sad to announce that despite Jess Battaglia carrying majority support from Yorba Linda City Council (Carlos Rodriguez, Gene Hernandez, and Beth Haney) the OC GOP voted to endorse Janice Lim. We would like to say it was a fair vote, but sadly it was not.
Peggy Huang, Tara Campbell, Janice Lim and Sara Catalan (Janice Lim’s campaign manager) ensured the vote would not be fair. Peggy Huang, who stated Carlos Rodriguez told her she could choose her successor, chose Anthony Johnson in March of 2022. After a backroom deal between Lim and Johnson, it was determined Janice Lim would run in 2022 and Anthony Johnson in 2024. This was decided in March of 2022.
When Jess Battaglia entered the race and obtained the signatures to move ahead to the OCGOP endorsement committee along with a ton of community support, Peggy Huang called OCGOP Chairman Fred Whitaker and complained, placing her support behind Janice.
Peggy Huang, Chose Her Successor, Janice Lim
A zoom call a couple days before the endorsement committee meeting revealed the Janice Lim team in distress and essentially lamenting that Jess would even think of entering the race because Peggy and Janice had decided in March of 2022 Janice was “the” candidate and Peggy Huang’s successor. During the zoom call, both Battaglia and Lim agreed whoever did not receive the endorsement from the OCGOP would back out to ensure votes were not split.
One Member Missed the Vote - Lim's Reported Falsified Endorsements
On July 18, the OCGOP endorsement committee had one person sick, or else Jess would have received a positive endorsement of 4-3 moving ahead with a positive endorsement. The committee couldn’t decide and was deadlocked at 3-3. It was decided to send it to the entire central committee for a vote. During this endorsement committee meeting, Lim falsified several endorsements and made false statements.
Council Members Hernandez, Haney and Rodriguez Supported Battagalia
The weekend leading up to the July 25 central committee vote, Carlos Rodriguez notified the OCGOP Chairman and gave his support for Jess, along with Beth Haney and Gene Hernandez. He stated the majority of the YL City Council supported Jess Battaglia. That weekend, Peggy Huang called members of the central committee and asked that they change their votes from Jess and to vote for Janice. Sara Catalan and Peggy Huang called speakers who were speaking in support of Jess Battaglia and asked them not to speak and to change their votes.
Young Kim and Craig Young, YL Defeated Councilman, Save Lim
Tara Campbell was removed as Gene Hernandez’ alternate on central committee for refusing to cast a vote for Jess as were Gene Hernandez’ instructions. Never fear, a call was placed to Young Kim and Young Kim made Tara Campbell her alternate so she could cast a vote for Janice. Sara Catalan asked Craig Young to allow her to be his alternate so she could vote for Janice. Yes, her campaign manager was allowed to sneak in at the last moment and cast a vote.
Huang, Campbell, Lim, Johnson, Catalan, Utilize Ties
The OCGOP Chairman refused to allow a candidate forum so the committee couldn’t hear from Jess and Janice could not be asked hard questions. Peggy Huang, Tara Campell, Janice Lim, Anthony Johnson and Sara Catalan utilized their ties to staffers from Young Kim and Philip Chen’s office to garner votes for Janice. Many committee members said Peggy Huang was on the phone all day utilizing her past relationships to gain support for Janice.
Janice Lim reportedly “Writes Checks”?
Janice Lim Writes Checks
So you can thank the above people for taking away the voice of the majority of Yorba Linda City Council and the PEOPLE OF YORBA LINDA. It was more important for Peggy Huang and Tara Campbell to get their friend elected to City Council then to have the people of Yorba Linda choose who they wanted to represent them. It doesn’t matter to them who the best candidate is, their friend vote is more important. Thank Young Kim and Phillip Chen for telling their staffers to make phone calls and cast votes because Janice Lim “writes checks”.
Peggy Huang, Tara Campbell, Janice Lim, Anthony Johnson and Sara Catalan, Lim’s Campaign Manager, Succeeded.
Battaglia Stopped
Because Jess Battaglia is a man of integrity, he has kept his promise and is backing out of the race. It’s time that we stop allowing politicians like Tara Campbell, Peggy Huang, Young Kim and Phillip Chen decide what’s best for our city. A big thank you to Carlos Rodriguez, Gene Hernandez and Beth Haney for supporting Jess and standing back. We are truly sorry the manipulations of Peggy Huang, Tara Campbell, Janice Lim, Anthony Johnson and Sara Catalan took away the voice of the majority of council and the people of Yorba Linda.
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Candidate Peggy Huang, Election Laws
Angry residents are asking if Peggy Huang, a candidate this November for Orange County Superior Judge, 40th District, has violated election laws by reportedly choosing, campaigning for and endorsing her replacement to the Yorba Linda City Council, Janice Lim.
Nancy Rikel- Opinion
Editor
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