Sinatra Turns Up as Backer of Bradbury

When you’re Top of the Heap, A Number One, the Chairman of the Board himself, what’s a little $500 check to help a political buddy in need?

Frank Sinatra’s contribution to Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury’s reelection campaign was one of hundreds disclosed Monday, the first filing deadline for candidates in the June 2 election.

But it was the only one to a Ventura County hopeful from Ol’ Blue Eyes, simply described in Bradbury’s campaign spending report as a “self-employed entertainer” from Beverly Hills. Bradbury was unavailable for comment Monday on his connection to Sinatra.

Running unopposed for the fifth consecutive time, Bradbury is not exactly in the race of his life. So of the $7,040 he collected from Jan. 1 to March 17, he gave $1,000 to prosecutor Kevin McGee, running to replace embattled Superior Court Judge Robert Bradley, and $95 to Chief Deputy Bob Brooks, running unopposed to replace retiring Sheriff Larry Carpenter.

McGee raised $8,072 in his campaign for the bench, including the $1,000 from Bradbury and $1,000 from Thousand Oaks developer Ralph Mahan.

One of McGee’s two competitors for the post, Deputy Public Defender Gary Windom, had raised nearly twice as much in the early period. Windom had received $15,511, much of it in small increments from fellow public defenders and attorneys.

The reports for the other candidate in the race, family law attorney Cathleen Drury, were not available as of 5 p.m. Monday. The reports only needed to be postmarked by day’s end.

In eastern Ventura County, incumbent Supervisors Frank Schillo and Judy Mikels jumped out to early fund-raising leads over their challengers, both of whom are activists in an initiative drive to curb development.

Mikels raised $8,510 so far this year and carried over $9,972, leaving her with $15,542 after spending $2,940. Many of her donations came from farmers or agriculture-related businesses.

Schillo had raised $32,847--$31,286 of it his own money. The rest came in the form of $100 contributions--a limit Schillo has placed on himself in response to criticism about excessive campaign spending.

Meanwhile Mikels’ challenger, John Palo, had raised $2,548, while Schillo’s opponent, Vince Curtis, had raised $2,395. Both are active in the Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources (SOAR) initiative campaign.

In the race for the 37th District Assembly seat, which represents an area from Oxnard to Thousand Oaks, information was unavailable Monday on several candidates in the GOP primary, notably Rich Sybert. Two of his Republican opponents, Tony Strickland and Jere Robings, had received $45,818 and $27,948, respectively, so far this year.

Republican incumbent Nao Takasugi must vacate the seat due to term limits.