Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Finding the answers

So what's the big deal about the Earth First funding trails? Who cares about these big Foundations and their grants?

It is that this information provides answers to some of the question I had in the beginning, when Richard Salzman told me this was bigger than I could possibly imagine: Obviously many of these questions have now been answered, such as Ken Miller's role in the filing of the PL lawsuit. Finding the money trail has always seemed to be the key, and to find that activistcash has tracked the connections between these groups is an important part of this whole story. It still remains to track the money trails between Salzman, Shellenberger, the so-called "Alliance for Ethical Business" and Shellenberger's operations, if any.

These are some of those questions:
- When did Stoen, Shellenberger and Salzman team up?
- When did Paul Gallegos enter the picture?
- Who introduced Richard Salzman to Shellenberger?
- Who introduced Richard Salzman to Tim Stoen? And when?
- How did Richard Salzman come to work on the Gallegos campaign?
- Has Richard Salzman worked with Shellenberger prior to moving here?
- Before working on Gallegos campaign?
- Have any of them worked with Stoen before?
- When did he start having regular meetings/strategy sessions with Shellenberger?
- Was Richard Salzman hired or recruited by Shellenberger? By Stoen?
- Did AEB/Richard Salzman HIRE Shellenberger?
- How much has that cost? Where did the money come from?
- Is he volunteering his time? If so, why?
- Is Richard Salzman aware of Shellenberger’s work with Earth First? With Rainforest Action Network?
- What does he believe Shellenberger’s motives are?
- How is Rainforest Action Network related to the so-called "Alliance for Ethical Business"?
(I didn't even know about the Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters, or about Ken Miller's connections to these groups, or his involvement in the filing of the lawsuit.)
- follow Michael Shellenberger/Lumina Strategies and his many causes and websites, find our what his role here is.
- What is Stoen’s relationship to Richard Salzman and AEB?
- What is Stoen’s relationship to Earth First?
- What is Stoen’s relationship to Ken Miller?
- How did Stoen get in touch with Gallegos?
- How long has he been trying to secure a position in Humboldt County? - and Why?
- How did Stoen come to file the PL suit?
- Is it true that the suit had been languishing in the DA's office, that Terry Farmer had refused to file it after looking into the facts, realized that the Attorney General would not back it up? That Fish and Game were honor bound to defend PL in case of a suit, by the terms of the agreement.
- Did Ken Miller tell him about the suit? Lobby him to pursue it? What is Ken Miller's role?
- Was Stoen aware of the case prior to taking his office?
- Why did he stop taking calls and meeting with the various State agencies who tried to tell him that the case had serious flaws - or no merit?
- Why was Tim Stoen taking the case to the public before the case had been filed/served?(To the Democratic Central Committee? The Bar Association? The Fortuna City Council? Rotary?) What’s the reason for the dog’n pony show? Is it to exert pressure on the Board of Supervisors?
- What is Tim Stoen’s relationship to John Burton? (Recent AND past)
- What is Tim Stoen’s relationship to Cotchett's San Francisco Law Firm?
- What is Tim Stoen’s relationship to Michael Shellenberger? Where did he meet him?
- What is Tim Stoen’s relationship to Earth First?
- What is Stoen’s relationship with the "Mendocino County Defense Committee"? Wasn’t in fact part of his tactics aimed at winning the other lawsuit? Pressuring public officials and manipulating public opinion "framing the debate" as it were.
- How is the "Alliance for Ethical Business" related to the "Mendocino County Defense Committee"? Did Stoen commission it? Found it? Is it in fact part of his tactics in this lawsuit?
- Is the AEB a vehicle to secure funding to pay for the hiring of the SF law firm? (Again see the Humboldt County memo)
- How much money has the AEB raised? Where is it coming from? Where is it going?
- Who is behind the "Alliance for Ethical Business"? What are their real motives?
- Isn’t it wrong for the DAs office, the people’s arm of the law, to accept or be influenced by special interest money? To commission a source for those monies?

30 comments:

  1. Wow!

    It finally happened.

    Rose's head imploded.

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  2. Are you going to disclose how much money the "Alliance for oh-so-Ethical Business" raised?

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  3. Paid for my down-payment.

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  4. Oops. Can you delete that?

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  5. "What is Tim Stoen’s relationship to Michael Shellenberger? Where did he meet him?"

    Russian River.

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  6. When did Stoen, Shellenberger and Salzman team up?

    2000-ish

    - When did Paul Gallegos enter the picture?

    Same

    - Who introduced Richard Salzman to Shellenberger?

    Stoen

    - Who introduced Richard Salzman to Tim Stoen? And when?

    Met in Bay Area.

    - How did Richard Salzman come to work on the Gallegos campaign?

    Jill Geist

    - Has Richard Salzman worked with Shellenberger prior to moving here?

    Yup.

    - Before working on Gallegos campaign?

    Uhuh.

    - Have any of them worked with Stoen before?

    Nope.

    - When did he start having regular meetings/strategy sessions with Shellenberger?

    See above.

    - Was Richard Salzman hired or recruited by Shellenberger? By Stoen?

    Shellenberger

    - Did AEB/Richard Salzman HIRE Shellenberger?

    More of a barter.

    - How much has that cost? Where did the money come from?

    Payback is a bitch.

    - Is he volunteering his time? If so, why?

    See above.

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  7. Thank you. Wish I had stayed up later.

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  8. Who is running the PL case (or has the bankruptcy court taken it over) and are they a sworn DA?
    If not, there's a problem. DA's have special ethical obligations, and defendants have the right to be prosecuted by sworn DA/DDA's.

    Why isn't the DA's latest pleading available on line?

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  9. God knows who is running that fiasco. What we do know is that Gallegos did not write the brief because he is the king of plagiarism and can't string two words together in a coherent sentence with two hands and a flashlight. What is apparent is that whoever did write it must never have filed a brief before as it is technically a jumble and full of string cites with no analysis. If I can figure out how to attach this in PDF, I will do so, and if not I will send it to Rose so you and everyone else can read it.

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  10. jumble? string cites? no analysis?
    That could be the DA on any given day. He's the guy who, brandishing a blank legal pad (so the jury was supposed to think he had thought this out) asked a witness who had just testified to his master's degree in chemistry
    "You're not a chemist, are you?"

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  11. When did Twombly get involved?

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  12. Rose. These are all valid questions and I'm glad you're there to ask them though talk about a tangle. My question is - To what purpose? Run a winning candidate in a few years and then have the whole lot of them brought up on charges. Personally, as much as I want him out of office, I find I don't have the energy to invest in these details.

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  13. Good point. And good question. I know it is a convoluted complicated mess - and it is contrasted against slick easy rhetoric that is successfully designed to hide all of this.

    Most people I know make an effort to be informed before they vote. They follow the news, and they trust the papers to give them complete and accurate information.

    Because so much of this was kept hidden for so long, people were not able to make that informed choice. Now, they may still choose to vote for Gallegos, but at least the next time, the information about him and his handlers will be here.

    The papers are doing a better job. They are no longer just printing Gallegos' press releases. They are asking him questions, sometimes tough questions, and what they are finding is not attractive.

    But, who will be willing to run against him when they will have to raise between $100,000 and $300,000 to have a chance against Shellenberger and those he represents?

    I guess my hope is that if the facts about Gallegos' record are known, the slick campaign tactics will ring hollow this time. Hollow slogans like "justice for all" will be compared against a record of decimation that is unmatched in Humboldt County history.

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  14. Paul can be defeated with the right candidate. Yes, it will cost upwards of $200,000, maybe more, but if the community really wants him out, put their money where their sentiments are and cough up. Look at the money Nancy raised. The money is there. In her race - enough money, wrong candidate. The right candidate could have blown Bonnie out of the water.

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  15. Shellenberger's event was standing room only. Thanks for all the advertising Rose.

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  16. Lemmings one and all. Or was it he Kool-aid kids?

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  17. Lemmings like Dennis Mayo? He was there. Some are willing to listen to multiple viewpoints and then formulate an opinion.

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  18. If Mayo was there for anything else than to see what the progs were up to, I'll eat my hat. Listen and then form an opinion? Give me a break. His opinion was formed long ago.

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  19. If you went you might know what the subject of the talk was.

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  20. I hope you have a lot of katsup. It will help you swallow that hat you need to eat 7:54 am. I'm not sure what a prog. is but it doesn't sound good. I'll admit freely that I have definite biases. Everyone does. In my case they come from years of very hard work and a defiant streak (,my families biological hardwiring to be very independent cusses.) I don't function to well letting anybody do my thinking for me,make my decisions for me ,or eat my crow when needed for me,as I haven't done everything in life perfectly. I must admit that when I see someone bend their back while shoe'n a horse or other labors they have my immediate respect. The opposite is true,when I see a healthy young man begging because he can ,I have no respect for that. If in your eyes, 7:54 ,that opinion makes me bad then I plead guilty as charged. But before you condemn me you ought to know that every year I help one of these guys turn their lives around,and show them that hard work is the self motivation that leads to respect. I have had only one failure in the last 10 years,it might not be much but its something. I do my part. I pack my own water. Like it or not its the way I approach every issue,(well except smoking cigarets,YUK), I came to listen to Mr.Shellenberger not get your opinion of him. I also engaged him in a dialog he doesn't always hear. I didn't need you to decipher it for me. I wonder from your comment 7:54 if you are a religious person. You said my opinion was formed long ago,was that a biblical reference? Since you seem to have the line on my thinking can you tell me whether I'll breed the 2 mares I rope on or not. I haven't figured that one out yet. Can we get you on tape eating that hat? Dennis Mayo

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  21. Dennis:

    First, please learn to spell.

    Second, you are so inbred as to defy belief.

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  22. Is that you 7:54 ? Hows the hat taste? What exactly do you mean by inbred? If you place your hat between 2 slices you might eat it a bit easier.Is that the inbred you're refering to. You would think that someone who say's spelling is so important to them would find something intelligent to say,or funny. So you can spell but you have no class or identity. Arthur Miller wrote the great line "Look to your own improvement Goodee Proctor". Sage advice. Dennis

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  23. Dennis:

    It means that when one's tree doesn't fork and that your mother and father were also sister and brother. But an inbred wouldn't understand that sort of relationship was wrong. Do you have any children?

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  24. But we always wondered,after the D-vorce was they still brother and sister? Have you made any headway on that hat,oh great intellectual one?

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  25. It is now February, our local representatives have yet to recognize the 1000's of hours of dedicated work, time and energy the Animal Welfare community has put in.
    February 7, 2007 I went in front of the BOS and proposed an Animal Welfare Advisory Committee. The committee would represent all the animal welfare groups including Domestic Violence Services.
    During this presentation, Dennis Mayo spoke. It was obvious that he did not take one minute to research the topic nor did he give me the respect that I gave him (on the Clam Beach issues) by listening to my rational for such formation. It is now a year with no results. Most of us have to go out of our way to get attention from of our representatives.

    For such an avid Republican, Dennis you failed your party. Euthanizing feral cats is not the answer which is evident by the increasing pet overpopulation. Nor is this train of thought conducive to engage community support.
    Fact: It cost taxpayers at least 2 Billion dollars a year to euthanize animals. 4-6 million animals are euthanized a year. 50,000 animals are euthanized in California alone. It cost the average shelter $176.00 to house and euthanize an animal.
    Rodger's wife, very arrogant women who the 2nd district did not elect, claimed such formation would be an animal rights committee. She also did not take the time to speak to me nor has Rodger for that matter. And for the record, nothing has improved or changed in SoHum regarding animal welfare issues. We are still waiting for a shelter and increased law enforcement/Humane officers to deal with the horrible animal abuse issues which blanket the area.
    Seeing most of us DO NOT take vacations, and DO NOT have extra funds to blow, it would be obvious that the only motivation for such a committee would be for the best interest of the taxpayers, animals, the environment and other wild life. And of course give Steve Knight and the rest of us a light to the end of the tunnel.

    Both The Humane Society of the United States and the Doris Day Foundation, have Spay Day USA packets to download.

    I also have Nancy Perry, Director of Legislative affairs and State Assemblymember and Chair of the Select Committee on Animal Welfare, Lloyd Levine, as my guest on my next show on KMUD which airs February 8, 2007 from 7-8 p.m.

    Also stay tuned for the Blog show on KMUD. Both Erik Kirk and I will be hosting it. Rose, Capt Buhne, Richard, Fred and all the editors of our local papers are all welcome as guests, excluding Nick and Charles. I am also inviting Domestic Violence Services as a guest. Stay tuned. :)

    Barbara Shults, R.N.-Director
    North Coast Animal Welfare Advocacy Center
    Host of Animal Advocate on KMUD

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  26. Barbara,I don't understand the connection I have to the subject you are raising.At the supervisors meeting that I think you are referring to I was most complimentary of not only your work but Shannons as well. Spaying and neutering are great and potentially may become the final& perferred answere to a huge problem. Getting people to act responsibly is the tough part. Unfortunatly in the interium even Steve understands that we are left with some hard options. We may disagree on that option. We may disagree that the recent mountain lion eradication was necessary. Ferral cats are preditors and a great value in the right location and in balanced numbers. When those factors are out of whack the cats suffer as does the habitat they are in. Not a good situation,often with out a good conclusion.Purdation is a huge problem on many eco-systems. Barb I have contributed to fund raisers,support your efforts,and am called on often by local officers to gather and haul animals that have gotten in roadways,etc. Like I said maybe we differ on some things but I don't think I've been an impediment to the issue you are raising. I see you quite often and have always felt you were plesant. This seems a strange venue to bring up this concern. If there was some bases for it,I'd think you would just talk to me about it. Again I'm confused and am sorry that you are feeling this way. Best Wishes, Dennis

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  27. Feel free to call me. I would be happy to have coffee or lunch with you. Please leave me your contact info today before 3:00 or call me next week. 443-1481.
    Also please review Alley Cat Allies webpage. www.alleycat.org

    Thanks,
    Barbara

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  28. Shanon Miranda runs a filthy facility and doesn't deserve the praise he gets.

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  29. Barbara, you might be really interested in the activistcash writeup on the Human Society. For starters..."...Despite the words “humane society” on its letterhead, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is not affiliated with your local animal shelter. Despite the omnipresent dogs and cats in its fundraising materials, it’s not an organization that runs spay/neuter programs or takes in stray, neglected, and abused pets. And despite the common image of animal protection agencies as cash-strapped organizations dedicated to animal welfare, HSUS has become the wealthiest animal rights organization on earth.

    HSUS is big, rich, and powerful, a “humane society” in name only. And while most local animal shelters are under-funded and unsung, HSUS has accumulated $113 million in assets and built a recognizable brand by capitalizing on the confusion its very name provokes. This misdirection results in an irony of which most animal lovers are unaware: HSUS raises enough money to finance animal shelters in every single state, with money to spare, yet it doesn’t operate a single one anywhere..."

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