Fred Jung self-nominated and was reappointed as the Mayor of Fullerton during a contentious city council meeting.

The proceedings began when Mayor Dunlap nominated Councilmember Shana Charles for the mayoral position. This nomination ignored the 2010 Mayor Selection Process policy, commonly known as the Fair Rotation Policy, which prioritizes the most senior council member who has not previously held the office—Dr. Ahmad Zahra. In a show of fairness, Charles declined the nomination and instead nominated Zahra. This led to an awkward moment when Councilmember Jung nominated himself. The vote resulted in a split of 2-2-1: Charles and Zahra supported Zahra, Dunlap backed Charles, and newcomer Jamie Valencia cast her vote for Jung.

Valencia explained her choice by stating that her familiarity with Jung significantly influenced her decision. He had served as a mentor during her campaign, which she won by a narrow margin of just 55 votes. It should be noted that Jung’s support and that of her political ally Tony Bushala were instrumental in her election.

In a predictable turn of events, Dunlap switched his support to Jung, ultimately securing him the majority. The selection of Mayor Pro Tem also stirred tension. Although Jung nominated Dunlap, Dunlap declined and put forth Charles for the role instead. Charles, who had consistently advocated for Zahra, again nominated him. Yet, the newly formed majority favored the nomination of Charles.

Notably, Charles did not vote for herself, preferring fairness and representativeness over occupying a largely ceremonial position.

This description of the election does not adequately describe the drama in the Council Chambers on Tuesday. Speaking to a two-thirds full room, both Councilmembers Zahra (D5) and Charles (D3) made impassioned speeches in support of giving District 5 and District 3 residents their turn to have their elected representatives occupy the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem positions. In nominating Zahra for Mayor, Charles pointed out that a representative of D5 had never held either office and Zahra was the first Councilmember ever elected from that part of the city in 100 years. Zahra asked the Council majority to see past personality clashes and not punish D5 voters for electing and re-electing him (see their comments below). 

The audience was largely supportive of the Fair Rotation policy and for electing Zahra. However, public comments took a sharp turn when George Bushala Jr. presented a list of reasons against Zahra, echoing previously circulated disinformation. This prompted a disruptive outburst from at least two audience members, who repeatedly shouted “disinformation” before leaving. Despite Zahra’s attempts to respond to the allegations, he was interrupted by Mayor Dunlap, adding to the contentious atmosphere of the evening. Overall, it was not a great night for collegiality or for moving ahead with a productive Council.

Councilmember Charles and Councilmember Zahra made stirring speeches to a mostly supportive audience for District 5 to have its turn.

District 3 Representative Dr. Shanna Charles on Why Zahra Should Be Mayor summarized 

“I teach classes on Social Policy and Integrity at CSUF. Everyone here is honorable. Fred Jung has served as Mayor of District 1 twice and as Mayor Pro Tem once. For the sake of fairness, it’s important to consider the history of our districts. District 5 has been consistently excluded from both offices for the past six years. It is the poorest and most underserved district, and historically, it has never had a representative on the council before the district system was implemented.

“It is unjust for the wealthiest districts, 1 and 2 to continue to exclude District 5. This exclusion is something I cannot support. It is unfair and unjust to repeatedly marginalize the only district that, in 100 years, has never had anyone serve as mayor, shaping the agenda and influencing council proceedings. We have seen instances in recent meetings where members from District 1 have tried to silence others, a pattern we’ve observed during the two years when District 1 held power.”

“It is crucial that we get this right now. This is a fresh start, and it sets a tone that matters.”

District 5 Representative Dr. Ahmad Zahra on Fair Rotation for Districts summarized 

“As a community, we need to view these titles not as tools for financial gain or political vendettas. This is about our city coming together to ensure that everyone receives direct mayoral representation, especially now that we have districts.

“I urge everyone here, including my council colleagues, not to penalize the residents of District 5 simply because you dislike me.

He pointed out that the council often votes in agreement on most issues, although there have been disagreements on projects like the Trail Project, as well as the hotel and downtown housing initiatives, which he acknowledged the Bushalas do not support. “However, we all ended up voting for it in the end. I am not the only one making decisions; it’s a collective process. Some decisions you may agree with, and some you may not.

“If you don’t like me as a person, please do not hold that against the district that voted for me. This district deserves a voice and representation—one that has been overlooked in the past and is now ready to bring its issues to the forefront.”

Councilmember Dr Ahmad Zahra’s Response to False Allegations by George Bushala Jr during the City Council Meeting on December 17  

“I didn’t run for this council seat for any personal or financial gain or political ambitions. I just wanted to give a voice to all the neighborhoods that I have lived in who never had one. Issues like poverty and housing have never been discussed in all the years I’ve been in the city. That’s what I wanted to do. I certainly never expected slander because my votes were one way or another. 

“I think this is the time we need to look at ourselves as a community. What are we rooting for? Are we rooting for slander as a community against our neighbors? Are we rooting for division? Are we rooting for just bringing someone down because you didn’t like how they voted or because of a certain financial interest that didn’t go the way they wanted?

 “I think this is a time to reflect as a community who we are and our own moral standings. I have answered all these allegations in the past. I don’t think anyone has been as forthcoming as I have been about my personal life – on my social media, in person, and on this dias. I have nothing to hide.

“I am in love with this country and our system here. I chose this country because it chose me, and I am serving here just because I want to give back. When you look back, it’s not the titles that we hold but what we do while in office that matters. I hope I have done a good job and that I can continue to serve in the years ahead. My six years on the council have been rewarding. I have always been willing to help anyone in need and have never turned away anyone who sought my assistance—whether they were individuals experiencing homelessness, seniors facing significant rent increases, or youth in need of school supplies.

“I have always put this community before myself or my work. I hope moving forward, we all show a little respect and raise the bar on how we treat each other. I don’t have a blog to slander anyone – nor do I wish to. I don’t go online bashing people – I’ve never done that – others do. I think we should start being a better community.”