The Conejo Guardian
Every month, I get emails from folks who have come across my blogs about The Conejo Guardian, thanking me for the information. As a result, I'm putting it all here, because I want it to be as easy to find, and as searchable as possible.
What is The Conejo Guardian?
First hitting your gutters (appropriately) in May of 2020, The Conejo Guardian is a propaganda paper that is backed by Godspeak Calvary Pastor Rob McCoy. The Conejo Guardian registered as a "domestic nonprofit corporation" on 3/2/2020. Its ASOP is a service corporation. The business address is a PO Box at a UPS store in Westlake Village.
What do they write? Trash. I mean really. You knew that because you searched: "What in the fresh hell is The Conejo Guardian?" So, you already know what's up. The Conejo Guardian is known for its heavily biased far-right op-eds and "letters to the editor" section, grammatical errors, and "articles" written by community members like Frank Enderle (a realtor who keeps running for political office to boost his name recognition and is a frequent commenter in the private Facebook group: Conservative Moms of Conejo Valley); Cheryl Bisera, a vocal voice in the conservative community; and Linda Nicolosi — the wife of deceased "father of conversion therapy" Joseph Nicolosi, whose books projecting anti-LGBTQ+ ideology were removed from Amazon stemming from backlash over the trauma his works have caused. The cream of the crop, my friends.
Its standard operating procedure is to publish "whistleblower"-type pieces that cite "anonymous sources," and misrepresent events happening in our local schools and community to incite outrage and violence. This paper publishes extremely transphobic pieces, and exists to undermine our local public school district. I believe its first mission was to help Rob McCoy's chosen school board candidates get elected in 2022. All three of them lost. Their platform of hate against trans people in our community, and its hit pieces on community members, including parents and teachers, is not unfamiliar. Their far-right, online propaganda sister in Camarillo — The Citizen's Journal — operates in kind.
Few things, I have some thoughts on some of their editions detailed HERE and HERE and HERE ... and here's a deeper dive that includes a bit of context ... HERE.
What do they write? Trash. I mean really. You knew that because you searched: "What in the fresh hell is The Conejo Guardian?" So, you already know what's up. The Conejo Guardian is known for its heavily biased far-right op-eds and "letters to the editor" section, grammatical errors, and "articles" written by community members like Frank Enderle (a realtor who keeps running for political office to boost his name recognition and is a frequent commenter in the private Facebook group: Conservative Moms of Conejo Valley); Cheryl Bisera, a vocal voice in the conservative community; and Linda Nicolosi — the wife of deceased "father of conversion therapy" Joseph Nicolosi, whose books projecting anti-LGBTQ+ ideology were removed from Amazon stemming from backlash over the trauma his works have caused. The cream of the crop, my friends.
Its standard operating procedure is to publish "whistleblower"-type pieces that cite "anonymous sources," and misrepresent events happening in our local schools and community to incite outrage and violence. This paper publishes extremely transphobic pieces, and exists to undermine our local public school district. I believe its first mission was to help Rob McCoy's chosen school board candidates get elected in 2022. All three of them lost. Their platform of hate against trans people in our community, and its hit pieces on community members, including parents and teachers, is not unfamiliar. Their far-right, online propaganda sister in Camarillo — The Citizen's Journal — operates in kind.
Few things, I have some thoughts on some of their editions detailed HERE and HERE and HERE ... and here's a deeper dive that includes a bit of context ... HERE.
It states that its circulation is 39,000, although in a speech Amy Chen gave at a Free Ventura PAC meeting hosted at Godspeak Calvary Church last year, Chen stated the circulation is 44,000. On its "About" page, they provide a Certificate of Good Standing and are technically classified as a 509a2 status as a public charity. Stay tuned, friends.
Who is Behind The Conejo Guardian?
The paper's officers have shuffled over time, but its some-time CEO, and agent listed on its statement of information as filed to the Secretary of State, is Amy Chen. An agent for service of process is a person who receives lawsuits and other documents on behalf of your business. Depending on the state where you live, the agent may also be referred to as a registered agent or statutory agent."
If you don't recall, Amy Chen is the woman now notorious for having created the paper shell of a fake nonprofit so that she could use a ballot designation of "educational nonprofit director" when she ran for CVUSD school board (and lost) in 2018. You can read more about her fake nonprofit HERE.
The March 2020 Statement of Information listed these officers for the Conejo Guardian:
* CEO as Jennifer Weir (interviewed for area 2 CVUSD vacant seat but was not selected)
* Secretary as Amit Gupta (wife is Avani Gupta, active California Parent Alliance member)
* CFO as Brian Shin
In December 2020, there was an updated Statement of Information:
* CEO as Amy Chen (who replaced Jennifer Weir at this time for reasons unknown).
* Secretary as Amit Gupta
* CFO as Brian Shin
Then, on Feb. 1, 2022, another updated Statement of Information:
* CEO as Brian Orta (his wife of Lindsey & Lindsey Wealth Management has business ads placed in the paper)
* Secretary as Amy chen
* CFO as David Glienke (David Glienke is the President of ClearCoast Wealth Management)
Then, filed on June 6, 2022:
* CEO as Amy chen
* Secretary as Doug DeGroote (Managing Director of DeGroote Financial Group whose website lists its main cause as Turning Point USA — Charlie Kirk’s org that Rob McCoy is a part of.)
* CFO as David Glienke
* Additional Officer: Joshua Linn (listed as a Senior Vice President with Beitler Commercial Realty Services).
And finally, the most recent, on August 2, 2022:
CEO as Amy Chen
CFO as David Glienke
Secretary as Doug DeGroote
Two Officers: Joshua Linn, and newly added Bryce Eddy (co-founder of The Liberty Station Podcast with Rob McCoy).
The Guardian’s editor is Joel Kilpatrick, who states on his website that he is “the leader of the Company Christian Fellowship.”
The paper is assembled at Godspeak Calvary Church in Dos Vientos and delivered by church volunteers.
If you don't recall, Amy Chen is the woman now notorious for having created the paper shell of a fake nonprofit so that she could use a ballot designation of "educational nonprofit director" when she ran for CVUSD school board (and lost) in 2018. You can read more about her fake nonprofit HERE.
The March 2020 Statement of Information listed these officers for the Conejo Guardian:
* CEO as Jennifer Weir (interviewed for area 2 CVUSD vacant seat but was not selected)
* Secretary as Amit Gupta (wife is Avani Gupta, active California Parent Alliance member)
* CFO as Brian Shin
In December 2020, there was an updated Statement of Information:
* CEO as Amy Chen (who replaced Jennifer Weir at this time for reasons unknown).
* Secretary as Amit Gupta
* CFO as Brian Shin
Then, on Feb. 1, 2022, another updated Statement of Information:
* CEO as Brian Orta (his wife of Lindsey & Lindsey Wealth Management has business ads placed in the paper)
* Secretary as Amy chen
* CFO as David Glienke (David Glienke is the President of ClearCoast Wealth Management)
Then, filed on June 6, 2022:
* CEO as Amy chen
* Secretary as Doug DeGroote (Managing Director of DeGroote Financial Group whose website lists its main cause as Turning Point USA — Charlie Kirk’s org that Rob McCoy is a part of.)
* CFO as David Glienke
* Additional Officer: Joshua Linn (listed as a Senior Vice President with Beitler Commercial Realty Services).
And finally, the most recent, on August 2, 2022:
CEO as Amy Chen
CFO as David Glienke
Secretary as Doug DeGroote
Two Officers: Joshua Linn, and newly added Bryce Eddy (co-founder of The Liberty Station Podcast with Rob McCoy).
The Guardian’s editor is Joel Kilpatrick, who states on his website that he is “the leader of the Company Christian Fellowship.”
The paper is assembled at Godspeak Calvary Church in Dos Vientos and delivered by church volunteers.
Who Funds The Conejo Guardian?
Above is the only documentation on the IRS site related to Conejo Guardian's taxes ... from 2020. The information is scarce, otherwise ... although did anyone else notice how many wealth management CEOs sit on the board of the paper via the statements of information and also "pay" for advertisements, or just me?
It listed less than 50k in donations/investments/funds. I find that pretty interesting. I spoke with another local publication about estimated cost to produce and print and distribute 39k circulation (estimate 20-25 pages) once per month, and it was estimated at minimum $10k per run, which would put Conejo Guardian into $100k range, give or take given March 2020-December 2020 monthly distribution cycle. If they're anywhere near this ... something feels off.
It listed less than 50k in donations/investments/funds. I find that pretty interesting. I spoke with another local publication about estimated cost to produce and print and distribute 39k circulation (estimate 20-25 pages) once per month, and it was estimated at minimum $10k per run, which would put Conejo Guardian into $100k range, give or take given March 2020-December 2020 monthly distribution cycle. If they're anywhere near this ... something feels off.
Who Advertises in the Conejo Guardian?
Some of it ebbs and flows, but here is a list of most consistent advertisers who support The Conejo Guardian ...
- Lindsey & Lindsey Wealth Management (former paper CEO's wife)
- WestOaks Dental Arts (Amy Chen's husband's denal practice)
- Stand Firm Personal Trainer
- WestPac Designs (owner leads the anti-trans movement in Oak Park)
- Mastro Defense System Los Angeles
- Thousand Oaks Orthodontics - Precision Smiles
- VC Defense
- DeGroote Financial Group (secretary for the paper)
- PERK (Protection of the Educational Rights of Kids) - behind suing the district
- The Original Pizza Cookery (big McCoy, anti-COVID folks)
- John Wurts Financial Services
- Refuge Ranch
- MuddyHoney.World
- Bubbles Dry Cleaners
- ClearCoast Wealth Management (from time to time)
What Does It All Mean?
Loves, this is a propaganda paper funded by far-right groups with hopes of using fear-mongering as a tactic to persuade community members to freak out and vote based on fear, not facts. This is not our city's paper of record. It is funded by private funders (who refused to be made public), while presenting itself as an "independent and non-partisan" paper. I repeat, this is a far-right backed propaganda paper, produced by folks with ties to Rob McCoy, Charlie Kirk and folks at Godspeak Calvary Church. At least know what you're reading when you pick up the trash.