Urgent Call to Action Against Misleading Campaigns Targeting Our Children.

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

Urgent Call to Action Against Misleading Campaigns Targeting Our Children
Good Morning, Huntington Beach residents,

I’m Cody Cleary, and I'm here today to address a pressing issue that concerns the safety and well-being of our children in Huntington Beach. Recent actions taken by our current city council, particularly Councilman Chad Williams and his political action committee, have raised serious concerns about their approach to protecting our youth.

While the intention to safeguard children from harmful content is commendable, I want to highlight a troubling discrepancy between their rhetoric and actions. The city council has chosen to blanket our community with campaign signs proclaiming “Protect Our Kids from Porn,” especially near schools. As families returned to school after spring break, I worry about the message this sends. This sensationalized language not only risks drawing undue attention to inappropriate subjects but also creates an uncomfortable environment for our young ones.

These signs, initiated by Chad Williams' PAC, do not genuinely aim to protect our children; instead, they serve to advance a political narrative that seeks to control library resources and dictate what information should be available to our kids. I believe that parents should have the autonomy to guide their children’s education and exposure to information without undue influence from politicians.

As we move toward the special elections on June 10th, I urge every resident of Huntington Beach to vote **YES on Measures A and B** to ensure our libraries remain safe, inclusive spaces for learning and exploration. Furthermore, I encourage you to join me in standing against the misleading and sensationalized campaigns represented by these signs.

To all parents and guardians, let’s engage in this conversation and take action. It is crucial that we stand together in defending our rights as families to make informed choices about the resources our children are exposed to.

Please reach out to Councilman Chad Williams with your concerns regarding these signs his PAC plastered all over town and their implications on your children. His email is Chad.williams@surfcity-hb.org. Additionally, I encourage everyone to connect with the city council as a whole at City.Council@surfcity-hb.org to express your thoughts.

Together, we can protect our community from divisive and misleading narratives, ensuring that our children can grow and learn in an environment free from stigmatizing messages. Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your support in this critical campaign.

Cody Cleary  
City Council Candidate  
Huntington Beach, CA  
Codyforhb.com

First-time politician announces campaign for Huntington Beach City Council

Cody Cleary has announced he is running for Huntington Beach City Council this fall.

The 30-year-old is running for public office for the first time.

“I never really thought I’d lead my career to politics,” he said. “But living in this city, it’s been pretty diverse right now. Everyone’s divided on pretty big issues ... and I just felt like it was time for me to step up and be a voice for my community.”

Cleary, who is gay, said his background is in the entertainment and restaurant industries. He been a promoter for pageants and put on big events for the gay community.

In Huntington Beach, he has kept track of recent battles over the public library, as well as Measure B, a charter amendment that passed in March and states that only government and military flags may be flown on city property, excluding the LGBTQ+ Pride flag.

“I want to really give a spot at the table for the marginalized communities and the LGBTQ community,” he said, adding that affordable housing units and lower taxes are top priorities of his.

Three spots will be up for grabs in the November City Council election. Incumbents Dan Kalmick, Natalie Moser and Rhonda Bolton, who currently comprise a Democratic minority, are each expected to run for another term.

Kalmick, Moser and Bolton face opposition from former U.S. Navy Seal Chad Williams and current Planning Commissioners Don Kennedy and Butch Twining, who are running as a group. They seek to take the spots and turn the City Council into an all-conservative panel.

Former mayors Erik Peterson and Kim Carr have also filed candidate intention statements since the 2022 election, though Carr said she is not running. Amory Hanson, Brian Burley, Shawn Kirby, Marissa Jackson and Hector Valdez are the other potential candidates who have filed candidate intention statements since the last election.

Candidates may officially declare for the November election between July 15 and Aug. 9.