Assembly Candidate Russ Warner Criticizes Incumbent Mike Morrell

Rancho Cucamonga businessman Russ Warner, who is running in the new 40th State Assembly District, criticized incumbent Assemblyman Mike Morrell on Wednesday in the wake of a news report about legislators spending on taxpayer-financed mail.

Warner and Morrell are facing off in the 40th District that includes Redlands, Loma Linda, Highland, San Bernardino, Lytle Creek and Rancho Cucamonga.

"My duty is to communicate with my constituents in a powerful way," Morrell, R-Rancho Cucamonga, told the Press-Enterprise in a report published online Tuesday May 29.

Morrell sent about 673,000 mailers to constituents of the current 63rd District from June 2011 through April 5, at a cost of $142,000, the Press-Enterprise reported.

"The mail I sent out . . . is for the good of the constituents in our district," Morrell was quoted as saying. "There was nothing there that says 'Vote for me.'"

Warner's campaign issued a statement Wednesday calling on Morrell to "reimburse taxpayers immediately."

"This is egregious abuse and waste of taxpayer dollars by incumbent politician Mike Morrell," Warner said in his campaign's statement. "Mike Morrell has merely criticized government spending. However, actions speak louder than rhetoric.

"By spending almost $150,000 on taxpayer-financed junk mail in such a short time frame, Morrell is engaging in pure hypocrisy," Warner said. "Stop him before he mails again. If elected to the State Assembly, I promise not to spend taxpayer dollars on such mass mailings few people will read."

A spokesman for Morrell's office said in response:

"Legislators are all allowed a budget and they can spend it on one of two things: staff salaries and benefits, or constituent outreach. Mike's budget is one of the lowest in the assembly. He chose to spend his budget allotment on constituent outreach as opposed to staff salaries and benefits."

Morrell's staff also emailed a pdf of a mailer as an example of the information Morrell shared with 63rd District constituents.

Warner is president and CEO of magazine distributor Warner Periodicals International for 25 years, according to his campaign. He has lived in Rancho Cucamonga more than three decades.

Pdf copies of the current 63rd Assembly District and the new 40th Assembly District are attached to this report.