Lesli Gooch campaign tactics stir voter anger, bewilderment

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - March 29, 2014 - PRLog -- San Bernardino Citizens For Public Integrity released the following statement Friday night:

“Yesterday, we thought we were doing the public a service by releasing information, verified by the Center for Responsive Politics, showing that Ms. Gooch had lobbied for Jeffrey Burum, the indicted real estate developer. Watching this scandal unfold has moved us from outrage to bewilderment. Within hours, the local Republican Party committee offered its endorsement of Ms. Gooch. While we question that wisdom and timing, Ms. Gooch’s aggressive response in today’s Los Angeles Times article shows us that instead of apologizing for her actions, she is going after voters and her opponents with increased vigor. We call on her to immediately withdraw from the race."

On March 27, DatSyn News published a video news story revealing that Lesli Gooch had worked as a paid Washington lobbyist for Jeffrey Burum, a real estate developer indicted on 29 public corruption counts including bribery, extortion and misappropriation of public funds. The information was revealed by the San Bernardino Citizens For Public Integrity and verified on OpenSecrets.org, a database of lobbying and campaign contributions run by the Center for Responsive Politics.

A day later, Gooch announced on her website that she had received the endorsement of the San Bernardino County Republican Party. Within a few hours, the Los Angeles Times ran a story, "GOP candidates battling to succeed Rep. Gary Miller”, saying that Gooch’s challenger, Dr. Paul Chabot, had called on Gooch to withdraw from the race. According to the Los Angeles Times article, "Gooch campaign spokesman Jeff Corless called Chabot's statement "sour grapes by a desperate candidate" who was angry because the county GOP backed Gooch's candidacy instead of his.”

The San Bernardino Citizens For Public Integrity (SBCPI) is a community action group of citizen volunteers formed in 2010 in response to a surge in public corruption allegations around San Bernardino.