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Monday, July 23, 2012
OUSD's John Ortega pulls papers for re-election
eLECTION Watch 2012OUSD's John Ortega pulls papers for Re-election
Orange Unified Trustee John Ortega pulled papers Monday July 23rd to run for re-election to his OUSD Trustee Area 2 seat.
First elected in 2001 as part of the Citizen’s Board that defeated the Marty Jacobson Reactionary School Board in the Orange Recall, Ortega was elected to the seat when then Maureen Aschoff was recalled (Yes 50.9% to No 48.5%) and Ortega was elected over John Campbell with 67.6% of the vote. He has never faced an opponent since being elected, therefore he has never had to run for re-election since first being elected in 2001.
Since his election in 2001, Ortega has gone through a metamorphosis in his years on the Board. When first elected, Ortega was an Orange County Sheriff. His job requirements often interfered with his Board duties. Ortega’s missed meetings caused tension on the Board as some fellow Trustees opposed his being granted pay for those missed meetings. Ortega also had some now famous run-ins with the eccentric Steve Rocco. In one he hovered over Rocco in a Board meeting after Rocco brought up the death of Ortega’s brother who was an OUSD employee. Currently, Ortega is now allied with the more conservative majority on the OUSD Board.
Last year, Ortega was rumored to be on a short list of possible GOP candidates to take on Congresswomen Loretta Sanchez. That bid never materialized as personal problems related to his employment became public. In March of 2011, Ortega became Mt. San Jacinto College's new police chief. By December of 2011 the press was reporting that Ortega was on paid administrative leave. The college trustees then did not renew Ortega’s contract amid unconfirmed speculation of an alleged sex scandal involving Ortega.
Murrieta Patch story 1/6/12 ORTEGA put on Leave
Liberal OC story 2/3/12 Ortega Sex Scandal
Orange Net News story 2/4/12 Ortega stories break
OC Register story 2/22/12 Ortega contract not renewed
Orange Net News 2/23/12 OUSD's John Ortega's contract not review
