Matt Cunningham, the founder of the OC Blog, that eventually became the now departed Red County Blog, has arisen again as the editor of the new Anaheim Blog, as revealed by our friends at the OC Weekly.
Cunningham is a longtime ally of former Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle, who now runs a lobbying firm. Cunningham also is a lobbyist. Both he and Pringle are allied with the corporate interests in Anaheim and they are supporting Anaheim City Council candidates Steve Chavez Lodge, a Republican, and Jordan Brandman, a Democrat. Both of those candidates support the giveaway of millions of hotel tax dollars to a wealthy hotel developer, ostensibly so he can build a new hotel at public expense. This proves that local governments are finding clever ways to give away public funds, even with the ending of redevelopment agencies by Governor Jerry Brown.
Cunningham is best known perhaps for supporting Monsignor John Urell, a Catholic big wig who covered up for pedo priests. Cunningham and his wife Laura also worked on the anti-gay marriage ballot measure, Prop. 8, back in 2008. Laura, a Latina, was a Prop. 8 advocate in the Hispanic community, which voted overwhelmingly for Prop. 8.
The anti-gay marriage Cunninghams have always supported Brandman which is ironic since he was endorsed this year by the political action committee of the gay rights organization ECCO.
Cunningham’s new blog looks rather polished and is certainly a lot easier on the eye than the upstart Republican blog, OC Political, which has replaced Red County. But the posts on Cunningham’s blog are about what you would expect and don’t make for good reading. If you are looking for a great Anaheim blog I recommend you read instead the award-winning Save Anaheim blog.
Matt’s obviously wrung what he can out of First Five, and with his wife’s tenure as Bill Campbell’s Chief of Staff ending in January, things might be getting a little tight at their home in ORANGE.
He’s only got a narrow window to sell some Brandman and Lodge ads on this site, but he could run sponsorships anytime from Pringle & Associates.