A variety of headlines could have introduced an interesting development in the Chula Vista mayoral race this week:
Republican hires ex-Fed to surveil Latino-Arab-American
Councilman’s private eye peeps on congresswoman’s alleged lover
McCann: Campa-Najjar doesn’t live here any more
Horton hears a liar
On Monday former Chula Vista mayor Shirley Horton issued a press release accusing mayoral candidate Ammar Campa-Najjar and his family of committing a felony.
The news is shocking not because of its political allegation but because who knew Horton was still a player? The Republican had a reputation for being subdued during her time, decades ago, on the city council, then as mayor and finally in the state assembly. But here she was Monday blasting the Democratic candidate running for mayor, along with his family, alleging felonies because they do not reside at the Chula Vista address they claim to.
She seemed to come out of nowhere.
Sort of like Campa-Najjar who parachuted into Chula Vista politics this year after several failed attempts at running for office in East County, claiming to live in that region during his bid to become a congressman.
Around the same time Horton was levelling her accusations, Republican candidate John McCann was holding his own court and telling media the private investigator—a former FBI agent— his campaign hired tailed Campa-Najjar to Congresswoman Sarah Jacobs’ San Diego pad where he stayed for more than 30 nights this year, proving Campa-Najjar does not live in Chula Vista.
The question of residency will have to be answered by legal experts and if there is substance to the complaint and crimes have been committed then it’s Horton’s and McCann’s responsibility to report them to the authorities. Maybe this is a case for the Chula Vista police.
In the meantime, I’m left imaging what McCann would accomplish as mayor if he had access not only to private investigators but the ear and cooperation of a friendly police union. His political opponents might be wondering the same thing, too.
