Menifee Resident Accuses Mayor of Campaign Violations

Menifee Mayor Scott Mann could not be reached for comment Wednesday night regarding allegations that he violated campaign practices by taking part in a smear campaign of his opponent during the 2012 mayoral race.

Speaking during the public comments portion of Wednesday's city council meeting, resident Anne Pica (right) accused Mann of paying for the printing of 2,000 fliers including negative comments against his opponent for mayor, Darcy Kuenzi, and city council candidate Sue Kristjansson in the 2012 election. The fliers were distributed anonymously and included statements Kuenzi and Kristjansson said were not true. Mann defeated Kuenzi in the mayoral race and Kristjansson lost her city council seat.

Pica's accusations were directed at Mann, who was absent from Wednesday night's meeting to attend a work-related function out of town. According to Pica, she has proof of Mann's involvement in the 2012 incident and chastised him for denouncing negative anonymous fliers against him in the current election.

“What a hypocrite you are, Mr. Mayor,” Pica said about the absent Mann. “You paid for 2,000 copies of negative fliers about Darcy Kuenzi and Sue Kristjansson at the Staples in Menifee and hand delivered them to me in my home for delivery to the community when you were running for the mayor position in 2012.

“I still have the two boxes from Staples with your name on them and the same fliers. Plus the fact my daughter and son were witness to your delivery of said fliers. It was OK for you to deliver negative fliers on your opponent in 2012, but when the table is turned, you can’t take it and you cry foul.”

Mann did not return two messages left on his cell phone Wednesday night. A call to Pica’s phone number seeking additional comment on the alleged proof went to a fax machine.

Deputy Mayor Wallace Edgerton (left), who conducted Wednesday’s meeting, responded to Pica’s comments by asking city attorney Jeffrey Melching about potential legal implications of those comments. Melching said he would not directly address the issue because it was a matter between two individuals and not the city itself.

Resident Chuck Reutter, speaking before Pica did, said the impact of smear campaigns is scaring others away from seeking public office.

“People who might run for public office don’t follow through because they don’t want to put their family through the mud, such as the viciousness like the flier Mayor Mann responded to,” said Reutter, referring to fliers distributed this week accusing Mann of various improprieties.

“The type of flier Mayor Mann responded to is the number one reason people don’t want to run for public office. And nobody has apologized for that flier.”