SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO : Clancey Drops Bid for City Council Seat

City Council candidate Mark Clancey, the president of a local preservationist group and an outspoken critic of the current council, dropped out of the race this week.

Clancey said he would remain committed to what he called his “first obligation,” his role as president of the Friends of Historic San Juan Capistrano.

“Unfortunately, as a candidate my ability to voice the positions of preservation and responsible development has been compromised,” Clancey said. “I found myself second-guessing everything I say and do.”

A recent dismissal of three Juaneno Indians from longtime jobs at the Mission San Juan Capistrano gift shop also influenced his decision, Clancey said. His support of Juaneno Indian leader David Belardes has drawn criticism from the mission via full-page advertisements placed by Msgr. Paul M. Martin in the local press.

“I had to watch from the sidelines as our Juanenos are thrown out of the mission,” Clancey said. “Quite frankly, taking a position supporting the Indian protest may run counter to seeking broad-based support.”

Although his name will still appear on the Nov. 6 ballot, Clancey’s withdrawal as a candidate means that 13 candidates are now running for three council seats.