Campaign Manager for Connell Leaves Her Post

The campaign manager for state Controller Kathleen Connell in her bid for mayor of Los Angeles resigned suddenly late last week, a setback for a candidate already scrambling to catch up with other candidates who have been organizing and raising funds longer.

Julie Buckner confirmed Monday that she gave up her post managing Connell’s campaign two weeks after taking the job. She said she wanted to spend more time with her family.

“I recognized almost immediately on being at the campaign that I couldn’t meet my obligations to my family and to the campaign,” Buckner said. “I really underestimated the time and the toll it would take on my family. My son is just 3.”

Spokesman Mike Monasmith of Connell’s state office acknowledged last week that Buckner no longer worked for the campaign. But he said her departure was a “sabbatical”--an odd and unlikely prospect for a key campaign official with only two months left until the April 10 election.

Buckner said her departure from Connell’s team is permanent.

“We’re disappointed she left,” said John Shallman, Connell’s chief campaign strategist. “But the rest of the team that brought Kathleen this far is still intact.”

Shallman said he will assume the day-to-day responsibility of running the campaign, at least for now.

In campaign finance reports released last week, Connell had raised three-quarters of a million dollars. That was more for the last six months of 2000 than other top contenders for the mayor’s office, except City Atty. James K. Hahn. But Connell entered the race late and trails Hahn, real estate broker Steve Soboroff, former Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa and City Councilman Joel Wachs in total campaign funds on hand.