The Orange County Democratic Party and key OC Democrats are conspicuously silent about the explosive Ring camera video showing Tustin City Council candidate Lee Fink – a prominent figure in OC Democrat circles – shoving and verbally abusing an elderly docent during a home and garden tour.
Last week, OC Independent broke the story of how an enraged Fink attacked and verbally abused an elderly docent on May 18 of this year, during the Old Town Tustin Home and Garden Tour. The docent had politely asked Fink’s wife to keep their toddler from playing with fragile items in the house. In a matter of seconds, Fink was body checking the docent, yelling obscenities and physically shoving him.
READ: BREAKING: Video Shows Tustin City Council Candidate Lee Fink Shoving, Threatening Elderly Man
The incident was caught on a Ring camera, which OC Independent obtained last week. The video has been widely shared on social media and been viewed tens of thousands of times.
Two days after we broke the story, Fink issued a half-hearted apology in which he falsely accused the docent of “scolding” his wife and daughter and downplayed his assault-and-battery against the docent as a case of “overreacting.”
While the OC Register reported on it last week, the Voice of OC continues ignoring the controversy, which has roiled the contest in Tustin’s council District 1.
Fink is the only Tustin council candidate endorsed by the Democratic Party of Orange County. The DPOC has not responded to our requests for comment and whether the party is standing by its endorsement of fink.
OC Supervisor Vince Sarmiento has also endorsed Fink, who is Sarmiento’s appointee to the OC Waste Management Commission. We e-mailed Sarmiento asking if he thought Fink’s aggressive behavior was appropriate for a county commissioner, and if he is going to remove Fink from the commission due to this incident. We also asked if Sarmiento stands by his endorsement of Fink’s council candidacy.
OC Supervisor Katrina Foley has also endorsed Fink’s candidacy. In June, during a Board of Supervisors meeting, Foley made sure to speak on the importance of recognizing June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Foley opined “I could not agree more” that “seniors deserve our respect and our attention” and that “it’s really important if you see something, say something.”
But when it comes to seeing an unprovoked Lee Fink shove an elderly docent, call him a “little piece of s–t” and threaten that “you’re going down!” – in this case Foley doesn’t want to say anything.
We also reached out to Supervisor Doug Chaffee, but have gotten no response. Although Chaffee has not endorsed Fink’s candidacy, he does have oversight of the OC Waste Management Commission as a county supervisor.
The only county supervisor to respond to our inquiries was Board Chair Don Wagner, who did not mince words.
READ: Board of Supes Chair Wants Lee Fink Fired From County Commission Over His Assault On Senior Citizen
“Mr. Fink’s conduct is unbecoming of a County commissioner. Indeed, it is unbecoming of an adult in a civilized society,” said Wagner, in response to a request for comment from OC Independent.
“He should apologize immediately to the man he assaulted and resign from the OC Waste Management Commission. Failing that, he should be fired by the appointing Supervisor,” said Wagner. “The voters of Tustin should also reject his candidacy. He is not fit for public office after modeling this kind of behavior in public and in front of his young daughter.”
OC Independent will report it if the DPOC or Supervisors Sarmiento and Foley break their silence regarding unprovoked violence toward a senior by their endorsed candidate.
