CARLSBAD —A well-known Republican radio host launched a recall campaign seeking to remove Carlsbad City Councilwoman Cori Schumacher from office during an April 5 rally in front of a crowd at Pine Avenue Park in Carlsbad.
Carl DeMaio, founder of Reform California, said Carlsbad residents have had enough of Schumacher’s behavior, vicious attacks on residents and “pay-to-play” schemes with her political donors.
“The misbehavior’s got to stop. The grandstanding has to stop,” DeMaio said. “The sort of misbehavior and misdeeds she’s engaged in, it has no place in this community. My hope is (that) other city officials in our region and across the state, take note. We will not tolerate it and you will be removed from office.”
DeMaio said the Democratic city leader attacks residents who disagree with her positions rather than engaging in dialogue or taking their concerns into consideration.
DeMaio also cited Schumacher’s recent legal woes after a North County judge struck down her civil harassment restraining order filed against two Carlsbad residents and one former resident, ruling the councilwoman’s actions violated their constitutional right to free speech. DeMaio said this was just one of several examples of Schumacher’s inability to govern and take criticism.
Katie Taylor, a small business owner for 35 years, said Schumacher also engages in political race-baiting in addition to policies aimed at harming business owners. Taylor, like DeMaio, slammed Schumacher for filing a harassment order against residents critical of her policies, calling her “corrosive and divisive.”
“Cori Schumacher has been so divisive for Carlsbad,” Taylor said. “Everything is about race, she’s hurt small business owners, she filed that suit against her constituents … and she is toxic. Pure toxicity for the City of Carlsbad.”
Republican radio host Carl DeMaio spoke to roughly 50 people during a rally on April 5 at Pine Avenue Park in Carlsbad, explaining why Carlsbad City Councilwoman Cori Schumacher should be recalled from office. Video by @StevePuterski @carldemaio pic.twitter.com/VUQIqOOG6i
— The Coast News Group (@coastnewsgroup) April 5, 2021
Joining DeMaio at Monday’s rally in Carlsbad were 10 local business owners “sponsoring” the recall, many of whom chided Schumacher for pushing to adopt an “enhanced” COVID-19 enforcement policy directed at small businesses operating in violation of state and county health mandates in January.
Also, DeMaio condemned her proposed project labor agreement for the Clean Energy Alliance, a Community Choice Aggregation program set to launch on May 1. The union-friendly language contained within Schumacher’s labor proposal caught the CEA board of directors off-guard and was not approved.
According to campaign filings, Schumacher received more than $40,000 in donations from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 569 in late 2019 and early 2020.
Schumacher did not respond to a request for comment.
DeMaio filed the recall paperwork on April 5 and once all the responses to the petition are certified then signatures can be collected for a special election.
The former San Diego City Councilmember has spearheaded a series of recall and repeal efforts in the past few years with mixed results. In 2017, DeMaio led a successful recall campaign against former State Sen. Josh Newman, but his Gas Tax Repeal campaign the following year fell short at the polls.
More recently, DeMaio has led signature drives to help recall Gov. Gavin Newsom, a movement that has gained considerable momentum over the past several months.
DeMaio said his group must secure about 3,800 signatures and believes the effort will be successful. Taylor echoed those sentiments as well. She said people are tired of Schumacher’s behavior and combativeness toward constituents. DeMaio added he expects an election sometime during the summer.
Reform California also launched a website, citycouncilrecall.com, outlining their concerns, while also asking for monetary contributions, signatures to the petition and seeking volunteers.
10 comments
So many of us who are long time Carlsbad residents are glad to have Cori Schumacher to speak for the majority who have outgrown the small minded politics of the past. How scary that is for those who increasingly unable to hide what and who they really are. If all they have are ugly rhetoric and hate, they don’t deserve the opportunity to serve and we WILL vote them out.
@Steve Puterski
Are you researching the question posted on 4/6/2021 re: the names of the 10 businesses? It has been over a week. Please let us know if you are done with the story or if you are looking into the names of the 10 businesses. Thank you!
I think the baseball hat says it all (Newsmax). These people seem to live in Bizarro world where everything is about projection, following the same tried and true playbook of accusing your opponent of that which you are guilty. DeMaio is clearly looking to stir things up so he can make a buck.
We live and vote in her district and will support her and vote against this recall.
In article: “Joining DeMaio at Monday’s rally in Carlsbad were 10 local business owners ‘sponsoring’ the recall…”
Who are they? What businesses do they own?
LOL, does Demaio just run a recall business? His team even comes equipped with generic reusable “RECALL, SIGN HERE” signs. What a racket. Hey, maybe he can use the same scam strategy that the Trump campaign used to get money with an online donation form including a checkbox to allow monthly extraction of funds until their supporters (marks) notice and report them for fraud.
LOL. Way to respond to the issues raised.
Instead we get tired logical fallacies.
Good to know you support this extremist Schumacher though.
Why describe him as a rabble-rouser vs. an activist? I guess maybe it sounds more nefarious.
Gary, Thanks for your message. I have since removed the term “rabble-rouser” as I think it may be seen as too subjective and derogatory toward Mr. DeMaio. I based the word choice on its definition: “rabble-rouser is a political leader in a democracy who gains popularity by arousing the common people against elites, especially through oratory that whips up the passions of crowds.” However, I have come to understand it as more pejorative and it has been removed. Thanks for your message.
I would have liked to have learned more from this article re: why the long-time Rancho Bernardo resident and past San Diego City Councilmember Carl DeMaio is spearheading this. To my knowledge he has never lived in Carlsbad.
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