for San Clemente City Council
Nurse · Community Advocate · Veteran
Press Releases
8/16/2022 — Donna Vidrine presentation at SC City Council meeting
“The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy. Unfortunately, that right appears to be a threat to politicians who feel vulnerable when more people exercise their right to vote.
After the community stood up and demanded an end to the political theatre of Councilman Knoblock’s first attempt to divide San Clemente over a woman’s right to control our own reproductive choices, he decides it’s a good time to launch this crusade to peddle false voter fraud conspiracies.
It’s worth noting that you didn’t claim the election results were tainted by fraud when you won your seat two years ago. So why now? Because you’re running for re-election and it’s a popular dog whistle for attracting voters who buy into such conspiracies?
Our nation’s “founding fathers” wrote about a fair and just democracy for all, but let’s face it…this ideal was not realized for generations. While white land owners were free to exercise political power at our nation’s founding, disenfranchisement of women, Black men, Native Americans and immigrants persisted — and still does — wherever people like you control the levers of power. Imposing new, stricter ID requirements for mail-in-ballots or in-person voting is just a cheap political trick designed to prevent or discourage eligible minority voters and others from registering to vote or casting their ballot.
Research shows that a much bigger problem is voter disenfranchisement caused by the proportion of mail-in ballots that are discarded on technicalities in counties around the country, but you’re not complaining about that, are you. Thankfully, our state legislature doesn’t take its marching orders from local officials grandstanding for political advantage.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. We are better than this. I urge the San Clemente City Council to reject this proposal and instead, to create stronger voter education and outreach efforts in our community to encourage every eligible voter in our city to vote.”
8/6/2022 — Donna Vidrine presentation at special SC City Council meeting
“I’m proud to live in a state where women have a fundamental right to choose to have an abortion. This right is protected under the California Constitution. As a woman, a mother, a nurse and a healthcare professional, I find that a woman’s right to choose to carry a baby should not be dictated by politicians, particularly men who will never have to confront the difficult decision to carry or terminate a pregnancy. For our City Council to align itself with extremist positions that are rooted in a desire to control, subjugate and punish women like they did in the dark ages is unconscionable.
There are so many positive reasons for San Clemente to gain a national spotlight, but this isn’t one of them. Let me remind Councilman Knoblock and the rest of the council that your energy should be addressed to matters affecting the safety, development, preservation and improvement of the City of San Clemente. You are not a tribunal empowered to override science, common sense or the California Constitution.
If you are concerned about inalienable rights, then affirm that in the state of California women have the right to a safe abortion. If you are committed to the protection of life and liberty, then create an initiative in San Clemente to ensure that every man, woman and child has access to food, medical care and shelter. Show me one other effort you have spearheaded to ensure that the welfare, safety and health of the born who reside in San Clemente is addressed. You seem only interested in redefining when life begins to encourage, and I quote “state police powers” to be exercised against women and their doctors.
The San Clemente City Council is hardly a scientific or medical body capable of defining when life begins, yet that’s what you seek to do. Those multiplying cells you speak of are not a viable fetus. Just because a man’s sperm successfully impregnates a woman does not mean she should be compelled by government or the Supreme Court to carry that child to term.
I’m a woman of faith. A pro-choice woman of faith. Let’s not bring personal agendas… driven by partisan platitudes… that have been sanctioned by a Supreme Court… that has abandoned case law and the constitution to help take America back to a time when only white, male landowners counted… into this city. San Clemente is better than that. If Kansas voted in favor of abortion rights, you know where California is. Let’s put this shameful matter behind us and remove this item from the agenda forever.”