An Unusual Election
Aajee Warren's Experience
Aajee Warren Story Changes
As I have publicly revealed her occupation, Warren has changed her story on her website page “My Story”. The first version acknowledged her occupation as a Social Service Practitioner, but in the past tense, saying, “I worked for the Department of Rehabilitation as a Social Service Practitioner” and “Currently I am employed as a Water Resource Analyst with Royal Blue Consulting”.
If she had revealed her full-time employment, people might not believe her claims of expertise in the water industry.
Aajee Warren Story
Aajee Warren's Expertise Questionable
The second version of her story on her website acknowledges she currently works for the County Department of Rehabilitation as a Social Service Practitioner and now refers to her work with her mother’s firm as her “avocation”.
The San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters Candidate Filing Guide provides candidates detailed information, including rules and California law for selecting a Ballot Designation and writing a candidate statement. California Code of Regulations section 20716(b) states that avocations are not acceptable as ballot designations.
Changing Pages From Aajee Warren's Website
Warren's candidate statement doesn't even mention she works full-time as a Social Service Practitioner. After I disclosed it on social media, she finally acknowledged it on her website, but only in the past tense, not admitting she is currently employed there.
Eventually Warren changed her website and admitted she works as a Social Seervice Practitioner.
Avocations are prohibited by law as Ballot Designations
Having admitted to having a Principal Occupation as a Social Service Practitioner, Warren tries to describe her relationship with her mother's firm as an avocation.
Warren's candidate statement makes no mention of her Principal Occupation and she now says her Ballot Designation, Water Resources Analyst, is her avocation, which is prohibited by law.
Aajee Warren Follows Armendarez
Aajee Warren Story Resembles Armendarez Scam
This type of deceitful campaign strategy is often used by some of Warren’s key supporters. Warren is endorsed by County Supervisor Jesse Armendarez. When he ran for County Supervisor in 2020 in the 5thDistrict, the San Bernardino County Democratic Party issued a press release warning he was deceiving voters in a shameless scam to fool voters. They said Armendarez “engaged in blatant lies to deceive voters, …. And has consistently lied.” Further, that “Jesse Armendarez represents the worst qualities of a self-serving, cynical politician…he’s willing to use lies, deception, and cheating to advance his own interests.” When Jesse ran again for County Supervisor in 2022, in the 2nd District, I found this assessment to be correct and couldn’t support Armendarez.
Another reason for this unusual campaign is I ran for election to the San Bernardino County Republican Central Committee (the governing body for the Republican Party at the County level) in March of this year on a platform calling for a change in leadership, revealing mismanagement and unethical conduct which mirrors what the SB County Democratic Party said about Jesse Armendarez. The result was twofold: First, I received the most votes of the fourteen candidates for the seven positions in the district, even more than the current leader of the SBGOP, Chairman Phil Cothran, and second, the current leadership of the SBGOP put a target on me in this election. I knew months ago that Chairman Phil Cothran was looking for someone to run against me. Aajee Warren was not the first choice.
In this race, both candidates are Republicans. While I am endorsed by nearly every other Republican group short of the County Republican Party, and by policy, the San Bernardino County Republican Party will automatically endorse incumbent Republican candidates running for re-election, in my case, the SBGOP has endorsed Aajee Warren over a professional, experienced Board Member. They’re not happy with me speaking out against corruption and unethical conduct.
"We Have a Machine"
Before winning in his second attempt for County Supervisor, Armendarez said, “We have a machine”! The campaign of Aajee Warren is a perfect example of what a machine can do for a candidate. It can call in favors for big money contributions and endorsements. Warren’s committee quickly raised $60,000 from special interests and unions. Armendarez, a County Supervisor who votes on pay and benefits of unions has close alliances with them. Perhaps too close.
The machine also uses Political Action Committees (PAC's) "not connected to the candidate" to conduct a smear campaign against me, publishing hit pieces filled with lies and false information.
*** Update: As of 10-19-24 the Aajee Warren campaign has spent over $107,000.00. That doesn't include the PAC's conducting the smear campaign on me and the water district. Ask yourself why would they spend that amount of money on a campaign for water board. Then read my blog entry "Keep CVWD Free of Cronyism".
The office of Member, Board of Directors, Cucamonga Valley Water District, is non-partisan. I don’t see my service to the Cucamonga Valley Water District as a partisan position. I study issues, listen to input from residents, and act in the best interest of the district and the ratepayers. I don’t have a machine. I am not obligated to special interests or unions. My efforts are aimed at seeing CVWD provides clean safe reliable drinking water to all CVWD ratepayers in the most efficient cost-effective manner possible. CVWD is not troubled with nepotism, favoritism in awarding contracts, or scandals, and I would like to see it stay that way. I find it unfortunate that the Board of Directors is being politicized to carry out a vendetta and to strengthen a political machine.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me by email at Mark@MarkGibboney.com or call me at (909)560-7768.
