California MassResistance: Breakfast With Minority Leader Chad Mayes

July 16th, 2016.

California MassResistance learned that State Assembly minority leader Chad Mayes (R-Yucca Valley) was hosting a  "Coffee with Chad" at the Yucaipa Community Center.

Despite the relatively long drive (about two hours), California MassResistance arrived to make our case to the minority leader to kill SB 1146.

Within minutes of arriving in the community center, the minority leader was seated on a bench looking over notes and messages on his phone.

No one would challenge him and claim that he is not busy.

We just want to ensure that he does his job to protect our rights, as well as help secure the borders, enhance public safety, and provide for basic resources to every taxpaying Californian.

The Inland Empire is a beautiful and conservative region of the state of California.

More housing is popping up all over.

Lots of people are retiring out to the Inland, most likely to find a better cost of living, however slight.

We hoped to find another elected official who would fight for our cause.

Some of the attendees seemed to confront us, and wanted to discourage us from recording. We reminded them that we had every right to record and to petition our elected representatives for grievances.

Mayes was not ready to speak with us right away.

He spoke more generally to the audience, in which more than half the audience were elected officials.

Mayes offered to us a general structure of the legislature.

He talked about the generic problems which afflict the state, like bad roads, a terrible business climate, and no water.

Then he claimed that there are some Democrats who he can work with.

We asked for some specific examples, and he refused to give us any.

Then he opened up the forum to questions.

He called on me first. Here is a video of my statement and his answers which followed

Mayes was not too keen on questions in the open. He even tried to push away discussing difficult issues. "I don't get political during these events," was the gist of his comments and his attitude.

As if!

No, we intended to get answers and assurances that he would vote NO on SB 1146.

One of his staffers told me that he would vote no.

During his comments, he gave the more generic line that "We are looking into it."

He also mentioned his college education at Liberty University (in  West Virginia). Coincidentally enough, his family attend Biola University, one of the most famous and active Christian colleges in the country, and dead-set on stopping SB 1146.

I am happy to report that other people wanted to talk to Mayes about SB 1146. It bothered me that he kept stressing that he "would keep the conversation going."

Enough!

This kind of confrontation is necessary in politics. Elected officials by and large want to avoid controversy and strong stances on issues. But we do not send people to represent us by not standing their ground on key matters.

Mayes saw something, and took off. Why?

The assemblyman met with us privately after speaking with his constituents. He was willing to listen, but then something sparked his concern, and he just walked away from us.

What is going on?

Final Reflection


A number of people in the audience approached us afterwards, thanking us for asking about SB 1146.

More people throughout the state should be alarmed without hesitation about Lara's "Kill the First Amendment" bill.

It's just a shame that our elected leaders won't take the lead and stand up to this monstrosity.

What are they afraid of? Why can't they simply stake our their stance on the bill?