2024 ELECTION SEASON: Seats up for election in 2024 are District 1 (incumbent Fred Jung), District 2 (incumbent Nick Dunlap), and District 4 (currently held by termed-out longtime Councilmember Bruce Whitaker). See the most recent required Form 460 candidate financial filings in the Election section of the City Clerk’s page at http://www.cityoffullerton.com.
The information below showing contributions to candidates are from the most recent filings, which were due January 2023 and covered the period from 7/1 to 12/31/2022). So far, only Fred Jung and Jesus Silva have launched committees for the 2024 election.
FRED JUNG (District 1)-: $63,556 (7/1-12/31/2022)
- $4900 – George Bushala, Tony Bushala, Commonwealth Fuel Inc, Irvine Company, Jake Sejin Oh, and Luxurros Inc/J’s Korean Cuisine
- $4500 – Hyun Lee:
- $4000 – Jennifer Hyekyoung Kim, Ayeong Cho:
- $3000 – Galaxy Oil: $2500 – 888 Cigar Lounge, Newport Partners, Hyung-Joon Sim (Innoarc)
- $1500 – Sigma Petroleum Inc. (Anthem Oil):
- $1000 – Oscar Valadez, 10/40 Window Inc, LE03-Awin Management Inc, Townsend Public Affairs Inc, Shelly Eum,
- and 8 contributions of $500 or less.
Jung Campaign made a $500 contribution to the 5th District campaign of Oscar Valadez. The campaign also refunded over $7000 to ten contributors.
His previous 2021 filing listed a $10,856 loan to himself and contributions from:
- $5000: William Iguchi
- $3000: George Bushala
- $2500: Gilbert Vargas, Edward Long, Mediwaste Disposal LLC
- $2000: Fullerton Police Officers Assoc PAC, OC Employees Assoc, Sharon Quirk-Silva,
- $1500: UA Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 582,
- $1000: Pacific Trial Attorneys Corp, SW Regional Council of Carpenters, UFCW 324, Mario Marovic (owner Lounge Group), Charles Halstrom (owner Matador Cantina), CA Real Estate PAC
JESUS SILVA (D2) $3242. (7/1-12/31/2022)
Former District 3 Councilmember Silva was forced to step down when the boundary around his residence was moved to District 2 in the last district re-mapping. He reports no contributions for the period on his 2024 D2 disclosure but does list a $3000 charitable donation from his campaign to Tara’s Chance, the local non-profit that aids disabled children through horse riding experiences, and lists $3,242 as the ending balance.
His previous successful campaign in 2018 listed the largest contributors, including:
- $5000: Mariel Garcia (Core Investments Admin)
- $2500: SoCal Pipe Trades PAC
- $1000: Tony Bushala, Rendon for Assembly, Int Union of Operating Engineers, Laborers Int Union of North America, and Adan Ortega,
- and numerous small contributions of $500 or less.
BRUCE WHITAKER (4) $11,816 (7/1-12/31/2022)
Current District 4 Councilmember Whitaker listed no contributions in 2022. He won his last election in 2020. The largest contributions at that time came from:
- $2000 John Saunders (Rancho La Paz Mobile Home Park owner), Manufactured Housing PAC, Western Manufactured Housing PAC, Ahmed Hassan (H&S Energy Inc, owner)
- $1,868 Chris Thompson for slate mailers
- $1500 Apartment Assoc. of OC PAC
- $1000 CA Apartment Assoc., Chris Thompson, JP23 Hospitality, Kevin Pendergraft, Henry Xie (Grand Hotel owner), D&M Auto Sales Inc., Mesa Management Inc, and CA Real Estate Political Action Committee (CREPAC)
- and several contributions of $700 or less.
NICK DUNLAP (D2) $0. (7/1-12/31/2022)
Incumbent District 2 Councilmember Dunlap listed zero contributions to his campaign and has an ending cash balance of $1,449.
His previous 2021 filing listed $9,162 and $2,800 in loans to himself.
The next largest contributions came from:
- $2000 George Bushala,
- $1000 Tony Bushala, Bijesh Patel of Alliance Funding Group, Care Ambulance Inc, CREPAC, and CA Apartment Assoc.PAC. $750: Manufactured Housing PAC
- and many smaller contributions of $500 or less.
His previous 2020 campaign listed contributions from:
- $5000: CREPAC $4000: John Saunders (owner of Rancho La Paz Mobile home Park), Lincoln Club of OC PAC
- $3000: Tony Bushala
- $2500: Rick Roshan (president of Pacific Coast Management)
- $2000: John Tomlinson
- $1000: Police Assoc. PAC, Intracorp SW (Amplify Apt Developer), Dunlap Real Estate Investments. Inc.
SHANA CHARLES (D3) $30,655 (7/1-12/31/2022)
Charles won her 2022 campaign, and the seat is not up for election until 2026. In addition to a $1000 loan to herself, she reports the following contributions to her campaign:
- $4900 Fullerton Firefighters PAC,
- $1500 Build the Bench PAC,
- $1000 District Council of Iron Workers, UFCW 324, Orange County Employees Assoc., Ben Alex, Neil Alex, Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, Transportation Workers Local 105
- and numerous small contributions of $500 or less
AHMAD ZAHRA (D5) $61,004. (7/1-12/31/2022)
Zahra won his 2022 campaign, and the seat is not up for election until 2026. He reports the following contributions to his campaign:
- $4900 Fullerton Police Officers Assoc. PAC, Fullerton Firefighters Assoc,
- $4000 – SW Regional Council of Carpenters:
- $3738 – PJ MacAllan:
- $2000 – SoCal Edison, 314 Action Victory Fund, Kamal Zafar (Petrocal Fuel owner), Deborah Mansuri (Tubular Specialties owner), Dr. Sana Khan:
- $1900 – OC Employees Assoc.
- $1000 – UA Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union, LA/OC Building & Construction Trades Council, National Union of Healthcare Workers for Quality Patient Care, United Food & Commercial Workers Local 324, Shaisha Farugi, Dr. Faisal Quazi, Lina Feghati (Pacific Towing owner), Adan Ortega :
- And the remainder is numerous contributions of $500 or less.
JOHN YBARRA (D3) $0. (7/1-12/31/2022)
Candidate Ybarra ran unsuccessfully in District 3 in the 2022 election and has terminated his campaign. He lists $23,677 in payments to himself ($5,862 in repayments of loan to himself, $4000 in cash transfers to himself, and $13,815 in several separate contributions to himself). Although he failed to list any contributions during the period on the 460 form total, he did disclose during that period on Late Contribution 497 form:
- $2000 each from CREPAC and Apartment Assoc. of O.C.
- $1,700 George Bushala
OSCAR VALADEZ (D5) $40,799. (7/1-12/31/2022)
Candidate Valadez ran unsuccessfully in District 5 in the 2022 election. He lists a $12,700 loan to himself and a $4,233 independent expenditure opposing his opponent Councilmember Zahra.
The next largest contributions are:
- $4900 George Bushala
- $2500 Freydel Bushala
- $2000 Apartment. Assoc. of OC PAC, Mario Valadez, Gilbert Vargas, Edward Long
- $1500 Soco Manor, LLC (Bushala) $1,000 Luxurros Inc,
- $800 Fred Jung
ARNEL DINO (D3) $29,201. (7/1-12/31/2022)
Candidate Dino ran unsuccessfully in District 3 in the 2022 election. The Largest contributions came from a $10,000 loan to himself and:
- $4900 Fullerton Police. Assoc. PAC
- $2000 Asian Pacific Islanders for Progress PAC, Chad Wanke (Orbis),
- $1,900 Orbis Capital Inc,
- $1200 John Saunders (owner of La Paz mobile home park)
- $1,000 Tom Carpenter, Anthony Bushala
- and 18 contributions of $500 or less from individuals with out-of-town addresses.
LOCAL GROUPS TRYING TO INFLUENCE VOTES
FULLERTON TAXPAYERS FOR REFORM Major funding by Tony Bushala ID 1346685 Collected $43,500 Form 497 (9/22 to 11/1/2022):
- $7500 George Bushala Sr, George Bushala Jr., Dylan Bushala, Tony Bushala $5000 Fredel Bushala
- $4500 Apartment Assoc of OC
- $3000 Chris Thompson
- $1000 Al Bushala
Spent? The exact amount spent is hard to see since the group failed to file a 460 for the period 7/1 – 12/31/2022.
Members of the group have contributed over $23,000 under their own names to candidates Fred Jung, Nick Dunlap, Oscar Valadez, Arnel Dino, and John Ybarra. The group’s 496 Independent Expenditure report discloses $1,849 spent on postcard mailers opposing Ahmad Zahra and the same amount in support of candidate Oscar Valadez and $6,013 ($2,038 & $3975) in postcard mailers opposing Shana Charles
TONY BUSHALA (7/1-12/31/2022) INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES Spent $7132
- $1,266. Robocalls opposing Shana Charles
- $5866 on robocalls and postcard mailers opposing Ahmad Zahra
FULLERTON POLICE ASSOC. PAC (460 (the year 2022)
- Collected $22,680 from 88 Fullerton Police Officers, (the PAC is a recipient committee formed to support or oppose state & local candidates & ballot measures affecting the membership.)
- Spent $82,283 In the 2022 Election year, the PAC had a beginning cash balance of $232,199 and an ending cash balance of $149,616.
- $20,233 – digital ads and text messages in support of Ahmad Zahra (D5 incumbent)
- $4,900 – monetary contribution to Ahmad Zahra
- $38,150 – digital ads in support of Arnel Dino (D3 candidate)
- $4,900 – monetary contribution to Arnel Dino
- $5,000 – monetary contribution to Anne Marie Schubert for State Attorney General
- $2,000 – monetary contribution to Superior Court Judge candidate Erin Rowe
- $1,000 – monetary contribution to Superior Court Judge candidate Christopher Duff
*In the 2020 election period, the Assoc. made a $10,000 contribution to “Fair Elections for Fullerton, Yes on Measure S” (Sales Tax adjustment to support roads, infrastructure, and safety)
FULLERTON FIREFIGHTERS ASSOC. PAC (7/1-12/31/2022)
- Collected $63,33. From Fullerton Firefighters (the PAC is a recipient committee formed to support or oppose state & local candidates & ballot measures affecting the membership.)
- In the 2022 Election year, the PAC had an ending cash balance of $61,110. Spent $3,225
- $975. Banners in support of District 3 candidate Shana Charles
- $975. Banners in support of District 5 incumbent Ahmad Zahra
- $1000 on political accounting service reports
*In the 2020 election period, the Assoc. made a $10,000 contribution to “Fair Elections for Fullerton, Yes on Measure S” (Sales Tax adjustment to support roads, infrastructure, and safety). The group also supported Aaruni Thakur in his unsuccessful run for City Council District 4 with $14,000 in contributions.
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Categories: Local Government, Local News
Wow – so harsh. You are talking to all the people who voted for and respect Jesus Silva. While I did not agree with all of his actions while on council – I saw he was a good person trying to do the best. Silva was certainly NOT self-righteous, arrogant, sneaky, or unfair as are some of our current council members. He was always prepared and he listened to all sides – unlike some of our current council members. I think he did a great job and would vote for him again if he chooses to run.
Hey, “Staff”: KEEP IT UP!!! As long as there is $$ in politics, it sure helps to know who’s pockets are being stuffed, and with how much!
I am absolutely SHOCKED, SHOCKED, I tell you, at how much the Apartment Owners groups have to throw around just at a local level! /sarcasm
Can’t have those tenants gettin’ too uppity! !hy, they might start insisting that having a decent place to live is a human right! (See article 25 of the 1947 UN Declaration of Human Rights, which WE helped draft!)
Matt – thanks for pointing that out that Jesus Silva would have been up for re-election in 2022 had district lines not been changed that moved him into another district. The majority of voters who voted him in for his 2018 election were disappointed they would not be able to vote for him again. You are also right about the current map being better than the last terrible map.
Sharon, how do we know that “The majority of voters who voted him in for his 2018 election were disappointed they would not be able to vote for him again”? Do we also know whether or not the majority of voters who voted for him in 2016 were disappointed that he abandoned that seat two years early?
You’re wasting your breath. The idea that Quirk-Silva was anointed by some Divine Providence has been motivating these people for years.
In what universe was Jesus Silva “forced to step down” from his council seat??? Mr. Silva served the full four year term of the district seat to which he was elected in 2018, a seat he assumed after voluntarily stepping down two years into the at-large seat to which he was elected in 2016. District boundaries were changed in several areas of the city in 2022 with the adoption of a new district map following the national census (a regular occurrence), resulting in many residences all over the city being relocated from one council district to another (my own, for example), not just Mr. Silva’s. The old map was appallingly bad and needed to be changed. Too bad if the new map resulted in Mr. Silva having to wait two years to run again because there is already someone representing the district in which his home is now located, but he wasn’t “forced to step down” from anything.
I saw that “forced to step down” nonsense, too. Gerrymandering gave Quirk-Silva a chance to establish himself in D3 with a free run for office. Once the long neck of the D3 turkey was cut off Silva just had no place to go, although he and his pals sure moved heaven and earth to cook up a plausible home for him. Fortunately, wiser heads prevailed.
Yes, and after losing that battle he tried to reverse the order of districts electing council members so he could run in 2022, even though it meant throwing the residents of his former district under the bus by making the wait two extra years to elect a council member.
Well, the dummy is gone, although he didn’t leave without characteristic self-service in the name righteousness. The funny thing was he got so many dopes to stand up and lie for him at the district map meetings.