There is a reason why political consultant is a worse ballot designation than lawyer. There is also a reason why political consultants obsess about lying, cheating, stealing to get clients elected to office. Their livelihood depends on it and if your God is money, then you have no ethics at all.

In my 15 years in politics, I have come to understand that there is widespread contempt for Dave Gilliard. He is well-known in insider circles for telling blatant lies in campaign mailers – they are beyond the typical exaggerations and in many cases are pure fabrications. I observe that most other consultants usually use significant amounts of truth in their attacks. Seeing Gilliard’s behavior in this cycle (as exhibited in the mailers sent) as he is facing the real prospect of many candidates losing their races has been astounding.

It is too bad, really that I am having to take a shot at Mr. Gilliard – but even if you don’t care about the above campaign antics… read the next paragraph:

Dave Gilliard also took the California Republican Party for an estimated $200k in Consulting fees related to the Senate District referendum that will likely have zero funding to pass this fall. The only thing the CRP will have money for in June is a retarded slate mailer advertising the endorsements that the 24-man ruling junta made.

If you care about the California Republican Party, that should make you angry. That Referendum would fail even if there was $10million behind it. There isn’t and now the resources that could help pick up an assembly seat or two are gone.

Back to Dave Gilliard.

Witness some of this year’s current “crop” of Gilliard candidates:

CD-01 Doug LaMalfa. Enough has been written on him on this blog. The CRA endorsed Sam Aanestad.

CA SEN – Dan Hughes. Hughes has spent somewhere north of $150k. Gilliard has gotten a some of it. Hughes has no major endorsements to show for it and worse, quite possibly the most retarded UTube video in modern campaign history. In my opinion, Dave Gilliard has done nothing for Dan Hughes, Jonny Buttner and the others stealing Dan Hughes’ money should be sued (by a REAL trial lawyer) for malpractice. The CRA endorsed someone else for US Senate.

At some point – candidates like Dan Hughes have to hurt the reputation of a “professional”, how many losers can you steal money from before it is bad for business?

But, the checks cash.

AD67 – Phil Paule got lit up for having a DUI and being pulled over a second time driving a rented car in an attempt to avoid detection (aka not using his own car) driving with a suspended license and a failure to appear.

How does Gilliard respond? Sends out a press release and a mailer against Phil Paule’s primary opponent Melissa Melendez accusing her of having all kinds of a police record… problem, it was the wrong Melissa Melendez. I guess they all look the same to Dave Gilliard.

Will Gilliard correct the record? (Don’t hold your breath) The CRA endorsed his opponent Melissa Melendez.

But, the checks cash.

AD08 – Barbara Ortega. She has only raised about $5k. She has given herself $70k. It appears Gilliard has taken his fair share of it, too.

Barbara Ortega is a reputed wet alcoholic. She arrived at a meeting of the Elk Grove Republicans and was so over the top that the Presidents of three major Sacramento Republican Groups sent out a press-release condeming her behavior. Apparently, Ms. Ortega was mildly intoxicated and accused all these groups of some sort of conspiracy in a profanity-laced tirade at the meeting. Then, she cussed out her opponent, Peter Tateshi after the meeting. The CRA endorsed Peter Tateshi.

Reportedly as of the time of this blog, she is still a client of Dave Gilliard, and the checks still cash.

I have written other stories about blogs Gilliard has allegedly bought and operations he has allegedly run to attack Republican volunteers in order to prepare the battlefield for his next paycheck, etc. If sunshine is the best disenfectant, then the trust is the best weed-killer and this is why I took this shot at Dave Gilliard even though he is not a candidate for office.

The Republican Party needs and deserves better.