Wasting No Time, Suen Establishes Campaign Website For Elk Grove's Coming District 1 Vacancy

November 5, 2014 | In mere hours following Elk Grove Vice Mayor Jim Cooper's victory in the Ninth California State Assembly rac...


November 5, 2014 |

In mere hours following Elk Grove Vice Mayor Jim Cooper's victory in the Ninth California State Assembly race, at least one person has taken steps to establish himself as the person to fill the coming District 1 vacancy.

Darren Suen has established a website stating his intention to be an Elk Grove City Council Member. It is not known when it was established, but he launched a site called Darren Suen Elk Grove City Council as early as this morning, according to information provided by an EGN reader.

Cooper will resign from the position he held on the council since the city's incorporation in 2000 prior to being sworn-in. New California Assembly member are typically sworn in one month after election according to Ballotpedia.

The last time a vacancy was filled on the city council was following Gary Davis' election as mayor when he vacated the District 4 seat. The appointment process became embroiled in several tied votes for appointment seekers that pitted Davis and Cooper against council members Steve Detrick and Pat Hume.

Although Cooper and Hume agreed to a special election after reaching an impasse, Davis finally flipped on the appointee he and Cooper supported, Elk Grove Planning Commissioner Nancy Chaires, and agreed to Hume's suggestion, current member Bob Trigg.

The next Elk Grove City Council Meeting is scheduled for November 12 and it is the only one scheduled for the month because of the Thanksgiving holiday.  


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26 comments

Anonymous said...

Chicago & New Orleans ain't got nothing on Elk Grove. Rate we're going they'll be moving down the list soon as we take the #1 spot for political back door dealings. Sounds like some of our electeds got a little ahead of themselves in those back door dealings.

Anonymous said...

If I am not mistaken, this is Darren's Website from 2010 when he was investigating running for Cooper's seat if he won the Sheriff race in 2010.

Anonymous said...

Check this page out - either it has the date programmed automatically or he has forgotten about his site. Either way, he is still seeking cash!

https://www.donationpages.com/contribute/8104

Anonymous said...

Either way....little explaining to do it seems and proof too. Really, asking for contributions on an active web site, seems we have a problem here.

Sheryl said...

Since Cooper's seat hasn't been vacated yet and there has been no public announcement from the city seeking candidates and I don't believe there has even been opportunity to fill out a candidate's application, yet Mr. Suen is seeking contributions?

This may not be legal. Seems like EG politics really brings out the unsavory.

Hopefully, we can find a candidate with some morals and ethics to fill Cooper's position.

Laguna Pete said...

I believe Sheryl has a valid point here. Taking contributions before his application has even been filed and approved is NOT ETHICAL and may be ILLEGAL.

I'm sure the council will try to appoint a candidate that aligns with their political party and allegences rather than use the democratic process of elections to find a replacement. It serves their best interests to circumvent democracy and go with an appointment.

It's not right and it shouldn't be allowed, but wait and see.

While Suen seems very qualified for the position, he just shot himself in the foot with his website and requests for money.

Time to find an ethical candidate, someone with a sense of right and wrong. The council needs someone with those qualities. Suen has already shown his greed and lack of ethics. We already have those qualities on the council.

Anonymous said...

I agree...seems illegal to me. If this should be a hold over from another election cycle as mentioned that would also be illegal or at least pretty stupid on his part.

That being said, don't be so naive to think a candidate hasn't already been selected by a few of our council behind closed doors. Legal? Maybe... just throw Democracy out the door. What in the h---do the voters of this fine city know anyway? We all suffer from APATHY anyway! Just follow your leaders, they'll never do you wrong. Probably even have Mr. Trigg, our volunteer council person, in on the act.

Anonymous said...

Does it surprise ANYONE that Darren Suen is a developer or at least an ex-developer (tongue in cheek). I don't know too much about this person but a google search was all I needed to realize the stone has been cast and he will be the next appointment to the EGCC. A shame that our voting rights are been eroded and that our own city charter supports such nonsense. Our charter needs to be changed to require anyone who runs for another office, and if successful, would leave a vacancy of more than 6 months on the council, need to resign their seat before running. This will stop the added expense of a special election and preserve our right to vote in council members. Our citizens are not astute enough to figure this out....many of them are like lambs being lead to the slaughter house.

Anonymous said...

We don't have a City Charter. We tried to get a Charter but the commission tasked with it became too political and the City Council rejected the findings. We are a General Law City.

It is unconstitutional to force an elected official to resign in order to run for another/higher office.

Anonymous said...

Hume and Detrick want Rick Lozano to complete control of Council. Who will Davis and Ly recruit? Darren maybe. Darren is development and labor friendly. I hope Sparky Harris seeks position. He has the right background and skills.

Anonymous said...

Lozano would be terrible choice. This stinks of Orrockian control IMO. Sparky would be excellent. Isn't he a Republican too? Well it's a nonpartisan seat but who are we kidding that party politics not in play. Sparky is intelligent. I hope he submits his name. Question is whether anyone can survive an appointment to later get backstabbed because that's never happened before. Hopefully they get it right. Elections are waste of money.

Anonymous said...

That's a dead-heat...gonna need a photo finish, like maybe Trigg.

Connie said...

Rich Lozano was just reelected to the CCSD. For him to jump ship now would be not be politically wise. Same with Rod Brewer.

Sparky Harris is a Democrat and Steve Detrick's appointment to the planning commission. So if Sparky puts in his nomination, this could be an interesting scenario.

As far as Darren Suen is concerned, he never cancelled his domain from four years ago; so it was still out there in cyberspace. He has been contacted and the contribution tab will be removed.

Darren Suen said...

Thank you for bringing the matter of my old website to my attention. I have taken action that I hope will remedy the matter. I apologize for and regret any misunderstandings arising out of this.

lynn said...

He has then been paying for this to continue? That is how domains websites continue

Anonymous said...

Wasting no time... Yeah, 4 years ago.

Quality reporting right there.

Anonymous said...

Elections are NEVER a waste of money. That is how democracy works, by vote of the citizens - NOT our council members!!!

If we allow an appointment process to continue, then every election cycle there may be one OR MORE vacancies to fill.

NO appointments.
Stop this insanity now!!!

Anonymous said...

Save between $500,000 and $750,000, do an appointment. Use the money for the kids, seniors and veterans.

ENG should change it's name to .

Anonymous said...

EGN Should change it's name to "Elkquire"

Anonymous said...

EGN Should change it's name to "Elkquire"

Anonymous said...

We must have real elections. Otherwise our city operates on 'favorites' chosen by those in power rather than the electorate, at least the informed electorate.

Cost is not the issue. Democracy is.
For at least one member of the council to be a 'cipher', a place holder, rather than an actively involved elected representative is wrong!

We need to set a new precedent wherein those running for higher office RESIGN before leaving a vacant position.
Be bold and resign. Then run for higher office.

That goes for you Davis, and for you Cooper, and for you Ly.

Anonymous said...

Haha. Elkquire. That's funny... But true.

Anonymous said...

Interesting, Mr Suen says this website was created for a 2010 potential run. OK, I can believe that. What is hard to swallow is that it's been up all this time without any activity? Who paid for the domain name over the last four years? He never checked it? Seems Mr Suen doesn't do well with details, then. My domain is paid for yearly. I suspect his website has a similar set up. Why did he continue to pay for the site if it was "dormant"? I already don't trust him. His developer background and lack of attention to detail combine to tell me either he can't be trusted or he has already "learned the ropes" back in 2010. Let's not allow the council to railroad us into Mr Suen.

Anonymous said...

Is this website run by Gossip Girl?

Anonymous said...

Haven't you guys heard Elk Grove News is the next National Enquirer. Lol...

Anonymous said...

Everyone in here sounds like a bunch of old ladies.

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