A lawsuit challenging San Diego mayoral candidate and second-place winner Larry Turner’s residential status in the city may be dropped as soon as today, March 8, Friday.
A lawsuit filed in February by Helen VanDiver against the City of San Diego, the City Clerk, and the County Registrar of Voters alleged Turner did not meet residential requirements to run for mayor of San Diego.
At the time, Turner claimed he lived in Ocean Beach with his spouse and small son. The plaintiff’s attorney disputed that and said there was evidence that Turner did not reside in Ocean Beach and was living in El Cajon.
A spokesperson for Turner confirmed with ABC 10News that a “Request For Dismissal” was filed by the plaintiff’s attorney in a San Diego court on Thursday.
When the suit was filed, Turner — a San Diego police officer and retired Marine — called the legal action a political attack. Since then, he said the lawsuit was “phony” and “political shenanigans.” There was clear evidence that at least three men associated with Gloria had at least indirect connections to the suit.
- One is Shawn VanDiver whose mother, Helen, brought the lawsuit. VanDiver sits on the San Diego Convention Center board member and was appointed to the mayor’s military advisory council.
- Another is Guillermo “Gil” Cabrera. He set up an independent political committee in favor of Gloria’s re-election, New San Diego. He was appointed to the regional airport board by Gloria and also runs a charity that solicits donations to support the mayor. The evidence in the suit was collected by a private investigator paid for by New San Diego. Gil also was responsible for sending out attack fliers against fellow Democrat Lori Saldana for Gloria back in 2022.
- The third guy is Ryan Clumpner, a political consultant who also serves as vice chair of the San Diego Housing Commission, but was also the guy who hired the private investigator who surveilled Turner, according to a New San Diego campaign disclosure. The investigator was paid for by the committee.
Turner finished second behind incumbent Gloria in the primary election. Turner received 24% of the vote to Gloria’s 51%.
If the case is officially dismissed, Turner will likely advance to the November general election. If the case is not dismissed and Turner loses, then Genevieve Jones-Wright, who placed a distant third, would be elevated to the second spot and be Gloria’s opponent in the General Election.
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Perfect example of how this two party system is completely dysfunctional.
I showed up for the debates that Todd Gloria KPBS, KFMB, KGTV, & KNSD all cowered from.
This should have been a Party dream come true. A self made, homegrown, dedicated and accomplished community activist running for Mayor, sounds like the Democrat we all want to support, right? And Genevieve is not only a female candidate, but a Mother and a strong woman of color? Sounds like the American success story “the Party” would have once supported, and wholeheartedly so. Nope! No support for you Genevieve bupkis, no coverage either, bupkis. The San Diego Democratic Party is supposed to vet and support candidates worthy of holding public office. For years now they play elections like their parlaying the ponies in each race at the Del Mr Race Track.
I am curious to find how much money was donated to Larry Turner by Gloria’s supporters.
I completely disagree that race and gender qualifies you. You said it yourself, “The San Diego Democratic Party is supposed to vet and support candidates worthy of holding public office.” Your suspicions define your agenda.
You may “disagree that race and gender qualifies you.” But, lots of people do, which is why Gloria relies on being a person of color as well. It is reality, not an agenda.
Discrimination is a reality as well. Race and gender qualifications being a crutch for some.
Larry will be the best chance to get Todd out. Jones-Wright will likely not pull enough votes. What’s odd is people who think money was donated to Turner by Gloria supporters after Gloria a supporter brought the lawsuit. Go figure.
DNC put up $110 Million in the 2022 elections to support MAGA candidates. Adam Shiff and the DNC PACs financially supported Steve Garvey’s campaign. So far from “go figure” as you can be. Of course Gil Cabrera’s thugs would try and disqualify Turner, it would save them money.
My only agenda is to stop the corrupted morass from completely destroying our State, County and City.
Isn’t it interesting how the candidate who is least likely to beat Gloria will now face him. The threat of the real challenge, Genevieve Jones-Wright, has been removed. And, the day after, the lawsuit is dropped. Anyone wonder how many extra votes Turner may have gotten in sympathy about the lawsuit?
I have nothing against Turner, he has had a good career it seems. But, he has spent all of it telling people what to do, or being told. How does that translate to public office? Usually very badly. Genevieve Jones-Wright’s career, by the very nature of it, has provided her with much more appropriate qualifications for public office.
As decent a person as Turner probably is, he hasn’t a chance against Gloria. The days when all San Diegans glorified Marines and police officers are gone, the city is much more diverse politically.
The thought of an intelligent, educated, and accomplished person, and yes a woman of color, running against man of an average intelligence, education, and accomplishments, and yes, a man of color, was a contest Gloria’s supporters did not want.
So, the question is, why did they drop the suit? If they believed it had merit, why drop it? Because if it proved to be true about Turner’s residency, Genevieve Jones-Wright would be waiting. Something about all of this is just does not pass the olfactory test.
The suit was dropped over claims of harassment. But yet a pro-Gloria PAC funded the investigation.
Agree, this stinks. And the claims that they dropped the suit because of “harassment” are laughable. Every accusation by the Fraud Squad is an admission of what they themselves are guilty. If they thought they had more to gain by continuing, they would have kept up this farce. As it is, I agree with Geoff that they feared facing GJ-W in November.
Though I wished for Jones-Turner, and voted for her, looks like dirty tricks foiled my vote again. There seems to be a pattern here.
Larry Turner looks like a decent man.
If he is the option to Gloria, he’ll get many votes – including mine.
Seems simple to me. Does he live in OB or not?
I read the squabbling over Larry Turner’s residence in Ocean Beach with interest. Police officers, for obvious reasons, value their rights of privacy and do not publicize where they live in order to protect the lives of their family. But let’s put a spotlight on the political shadow in the room. Todd Gloria and his minions very clearly are trying to smear the competition and mocking Larry Turner for not posting his home address is patently unfair and stupid. Larry and his family are “OBecians,” just like all of you who moved into the community at various points in time.
I have tons of law enforcement in my family and understand what you are saying, but don’t really see that as the issue here. It is still a very simple question to me.
All parties seem to agree that he did not live in OB prior to the 30-day requirement, and establishing residency from a 6-month “lease” with your own campaign manager on their East Village condo would be highly suspect at best. If what the suit claims in terms of the dates of voter registration and the ownership of the East Village condo are accurate, then he was very likely never eligible to run in the first place and probably should still be disqualified now. Who filed the suit is immaterial in that instance, IMO.
And if that claim is not accurate and he has in fact been an actual City of SD resident for at least 30 days prior to submitting his nomination, then the Gloria campaign should have to answer to why this suit was filed and why his family was followed around by a PI.
Well said, Seth, I am of the same opinions. The only thing that matters is showing that Turner was a registered voter in the city of San Diego by November 7, 2023. If he has that, why not show it. and the address he used?
I sure seems like this decision to run and these moves came awfully quickly, makes one wonder why.
Turner’s OB residency is irrelevant. He moved to OB after filing to run. What matters is his residency before he came to OB.