Scott Baugh - "Advisor" for Sober Living by the Sea

So it appears as though Republican Party of Orange County's Chairman Scott Baugh is on Sober Living by the Sea's payroll.

Uugggghhhhh

Last night, after my internet came back up, I took at look at the OC Register's website and saw this article,

"Crackdown on rehab homes detailed."

Which details the first drafts of the ordinance which will make it tougher for Sober Living/Rehab Homes from further multiplying in Newport Beach.

Depending on who you speak to, there are between 100-175 which operate legally (and illegally) on the Balboa Peninsula alone.

Now, reading through that article, there is no mention of Scott Baugh being Sober Living by the Sea's "advisor."

That's because it was there, and was subsequently taken off.

A subsequent phone call to Jeff Overley revealed that it was supposed to be a separate article and would be up soon.

As of this morning, it wasn't.

But thank god for the internet because this Robot Site actually picked it up. (UPDATE 9:32 - the article finally came up on the OCRegister website.)

Here's parts of the article.

NEWPORT BEACH County GOP chief Scott Baugh is working for the largest operator of drug rehabilitation homes in Newport Beach, raising hackles in a heavily Republican town grappling with a large concentration of addiction recovery houses.

Baugh confirmed Thursday that he is an adviser for CRC Health Group, owner of Sober Living by the Sea, which as of February ran 41 rehab homes in Newport.

Baugh said CRC authorized him to make only limited comments. "I've been retained to help try to find a solution to this very difficult problem," said Baugh, former Republican state Assembly leader and head of the Orange County Republican Party since 2004.

Hmmm...

As of 10 months ago, they operated 41 rehab homes in Newport beach?

41 rehab homes x 6 beds (average per home, some homes have 12 beds.) x $10,000 (according to their rep from the Lido Isle meeting...seems low...) a month per bed= $2.4 million per month.

I guess they can afford Scott.

But lets think about this for a moment...

41 rehab homes.

Each with 6-12 recovering addicts.

Living in residential neighborhoods.

Most of which fall out of the program and go back on drugs or alcohol.

Let's see, my good friend went through the same program and had most of his personal possessions stolen by his fellow "residents" who "fell off the wagon." Repeatedly.

An Assistant DA friend of mine once told me that he once prosecuted a fellow who was offered (by the judge) either 20 years in jail or a quick stay in a Sober Living Home...

Living in residential areas.

Next to my children, next to your children, but not next to Scott Baugh's child.

Newport Beach, Huntington Beach (where Scott Baugh lives), Laguna Beach; none of those cities have 41 McDonald's, 41 gas stations, nor 41 schools/libraries/churches within their city limits, nonetheless in Residential neighborhoods.

But yet Sober Living by the Sea operate over 41 Sober Living Homes in Newport Beach, primarily on the thin strip of land called the Balboa Peninsula.

And that is out of the estimated 100-175 just on the Peninsula.

Newport Beach has been in turmoil for the past year as residents have threatened to sue the City in excess of $250 million bucks for their inaction for allowing the Over concentration of Sober Living/Rehab Homes in their back yards.

Accusations of Corruption/Conflicts of Interest have been bantered around towards Mayor Steve Rosansky and former City Attorney Bob Burnham.

Our Million Dollar City Attorney's have been taken off the issue and an Outside Attorney Firm has been hired to take the lead.

Thousands and thousands of dollars have been spent getting us to this point today, where a "tougher" ordinance is ready to be discussed.

A light is at the end of this tunnel.

And who represents the largest Sober Living Home operator, who operates 25% to 50% of all the Recovery Homes in Newport Beach, who is making millions per month running businesses WITHIN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS?

Republican Party of Orange County Chairman Scott Baugh.

I've never been one to begrudge a person for how they earn a living. When I used to be in private practice, I had some very "interesting" clients.

But...

As Newport Beach trudges through trying to control the Institutionalization of their Residential Neighborhoods.

As Newport Beach tries to restore trust in their Elected Officials

As Newport Beach undoubtedly faces major lawsuits from theses Rehab Home operators based on Discrimination for their "Disabled" clientèle.

“I don’t think a discriminatory ordinance is the answer,” Peloquin (John Peloquin - VP of the Company which owns Sober Living By the Sea) said."

Who is part of the problem instead of being part of the solution?

Republican Party of Orange County Chairman Scott Baugh.

Who will help sue the City of Newport Beach for a Discriminatory Ordinance?

Republican Party of Orange County Chairman Scott Baugh.

I'm sure he's glad that he doesn't live in Newport Beach...