My friend Steve Vaus

Politics can be rough; a contact sport. I’ve been trashed and lied about a few times but tonight I don’t want to talk about me, but about my friend Mayor Steve Vaus of Poway. Steve’s in a tough race for Supervisor with another friend of mine.

In the beginning of this race I made a hard choice to endorse Mayor Vaus because I felt very strongly that he was the right person for the job. I had worked closely with him at SANDAG and I knew his talents as a statesman. Being friends with both men in the race, I wanted to make my endorsement and quietly let the election take its course. But I received a mailer that made it impossible for me to remain quiet.

Lies. Not the half truth type, or the politically explainable type, but the kind of lies that share absolutely nothing with the truth. The mailer I received was full of absolute lies, made up fabrications designed to smear an honorable man and sway an election. These lies accused Steve Vaus of stealing money from Rady Children’s Hospital, stealing from the IRS and stealing from the people of Poway. All of these allegations are absolute lies and they are designed to make fools out of all of us.

For 30 years Steve has used his talents as a Grammy Award winning musician, to put on a charity benefit show for Rady Children’s Hospital. He will do so again this Christmas. He takes no money for this. He in fact loses money on this show. Ticket proceeds are used to rent the venue, pay musicians, pay the lighting and sound techs, and well you get it. They are telling you that this use of ticket proceeds, is stealing money. Never mind that the hospital is still involved and gratefully accepts the proceeds from the show every year. No money has been misused. You have been lied to.

The rest of the statements are patently untrue. There are no problems with the IRS and none with the city funds. Steve’s been around for a while; believe me that if he were a liar and a thief, you would have heard about it before October, a few weeks before an election. It’s another lie.

Steve is the real thing. I’ve seen him fight for our ideals and values. I’ve watched him get things done. When there was a shooting at the Synagogue in Poway, the nation watched as he masterfully presided over the start of the healing process. Even President Trump honored his leadership and invited him to the White House.

I think we’ve all been amazed at the power held by the County Supervisors during the pandemic, and we should be very cautious of what is the character of the person who takes this position. Steve’s honest. He’s passionate about helping people. He’s deeply conservative; a man of God. He loves his Country profoundly as he does his wife and children. It is so very important that you vote for him.

Thank you for your time, prayers and support. I feel it and I value it more than you could ever know.

Mayor Bill Wells of the City of El Cajon