FLASHBACK: 2004 Salzman's/Kerrigan letter(s) and the reaction

More of Salzman's Web of Lies, not part of the original expose, but a significant example nonetheless...

SALZMAN'S LETTER: Smearing Rex
THEN THE APOLOGY of sorts
THE AFTERMATH: Times-Standard Editorial
THE AFTERMATH: Eureka Reporter Editorial

Some of you are new to this county. You don't know past history. Once upon a time, Chris Kerrigan was a bright, shiny, rising star, a bright young elected Eureka City Councilman.... He had broad support. Then, when it came time to get re-elected, he got scared. And when he got scared, he sold his soul to the devil. And with that came all manner of negativity.

Richard Salzman sent out one of his nasty campaign emails, filled with lies and innuendo. When caught, Chris Kerrigan offered a weak semi-apology. The Times-Standard and The Eureka Reporter denounced the 'scurrilous' tactics. Salzman offered up a snarky semi-apology.

Since Kerrigan and Salzman are back to the same dirty tricks, it's worth reviewing what went before...
__________________
Dear Friend,

I am writing because we need your help to protect Humboldt County's natural beauty and our way of life.

Renner Petroleum oil executive Rex Bohn is going to spend big bucks in an attempt to defeat Eureka Councilman Chris Kerrigan. Why? Because last March Kerrigan stood up to Calpine, which wanted to build a massive, job-killing liquid natural gas plant on Humboldt Bay.

Rex Bohn is trying to pass himself off as a regular working man. The reality is this: Rex Bohn is a reactionary oilman out for revenge. He is trying to convince voters that we should undermine environmental protections and seduce out-of-town corporations to move to Humboldt.

Make no mistake. Rex Bohn has an extreme agenda. No matter where you live, we have to stand up for Humboldt County by standing up for Councilman Kerrigan. Please take moment now to make a contribution by clicking the
link below: paypal link

Here's a few facts on Rex Bohn:

- Rex Bohn is out for himself. Humboldt gasoline prices are some of the highest in the county. Yet Rex Bohn refuses to say what the role of his company, Renner Petroleum, is playing to keep gas prices so high. Rex Bohn lobbied for the Calpine liquid gas plant on Humboldt Bay but refuses to say what sort of deal his company, Renner Petroleum, cut with Calpine.

- Like PL, Rex is running a mean and sleazy campaign. This week his surrogates started going door-to-door to lie about Chris Kerrigan personal life - just like PL did to Paul Gallegos.

- Rex wants to create tax loopholes for big out of town corporations rather than helping existing Humboldt business to grow. Rex is part of the old boys'˙ network that wants to get rich quick by bringing in companies like Calpine and by allowing developers to convert farm and timberland into five acre monster home sites in a way that would destroy Humboldt's scenic beauty and way of life.

Rex Bohn must be stopped. We can stop him, but not without you. We need your help to get the word out through TV and newspaper ads. Please make a contribution: paypal link

Few politicians in Humboldt County better represent the best of both old and new Humboldt County than Chris Kerrigan. Consider the following:

- Kerrigan has guts. Like Paul Gallegos, who stood up to Pacific Lumber, Chris Kerrigan stood up to Calpine and its allies, PL and Rex Bohn.

- A Humboldt native, Chris Kerrigan is a honest and intelligent young man - „ and a hard worker. He is working his way through school at the College of the Redwoods.

- As chairman of the Redwood Economic Commission Kerrigan was instrumental in creating over 700 good local jobs and directing $6 million of investments to local businesses. Kerrigan has created a smart plan for a kind of economic development that creates good local jobs while protecting Humboldtâ•˙s scenic beauty and quality of life.

On March 2 the citizens of Humboldt County said no to PL's attack on District Attorney Paul Gallegos, 62% to 38%. Just a few weeks later we said no to Calpine's attempt to install a liquid natural gas plant on Humboldt Bay â•„ a project that would have killed fishing, crabbing and tourism jobs.

Now it's time we started saying something yes to our vision for the future. Yes to protecting the majesty of Humboldt's natural
environment. Yes to smart growth that creates good jobs. Yes to making Eureka a model of development for the whole county.

And yes to Councilman Kerrigan.

We need your help to protect Humboldt County and our way of life. This is a key race for ALL of Humboldt County -„ not just residents of Eureka. People are volunteering for the campaign and making contributions because they know that this is a crucial moment.

Click here to make a contribution: www.chriskerrigan.org or mail your check to the address below.

For our families and for our future-

Richard Salzman
Friends of Chris Kerrigan
P.O. Box 6341
Eureka Ca 95502
707.407.7347
***

Then the apology - of sorts:
Date:
Fri, 8 Oct 2004 14:45:03 -0400 (EDT)

From:
"Friends of Chris Kerrigan"   Add to Address Book
To: ______________
Subject: Friends of Chris Kerrigan Message
Dear Friends,

Welcome to the all new, friendly, factual, fundraising, format.

Thanks to you all who have given so generously to support Chris Kerrigan's re-election to Eureka City Council. If you would like to contribute now online, please go the web site  http://www.ChrisKerrigan.org, and click on the donation button.

Even Tom Cookman, said it best on KINS community Comment, ”The Eureka City Council race between Chris Kerrigan and Rex Bohn is going to shape the course of local politics in Humboldt County for years to come. There is a lot more at stake than the council seat.”

I agree, there is a lot at stake. And I admit, in my passionate support of Chris Kerrigan, I may have erred in judgment and perhaps the use of hyperbole in my private email, intended to bring the issues to your attention. I stand by the essence of my previous observations. I do, however, regret the fact, that in attacking me over the pilfered fund raising letter in the press, the Rex Bohn camp has been somewhat successful in keeping the important issues out of the public eye. I ask each and everyone one of you to focus on these issues, because this election will deeply impact the heart of the place we call home.

Chris has worked four hard years to put Eureka on the forward  path. It is our job to keep him on the council. He must continue his work for the future of this community. Make no mistake, Rex’s supporters wish to return to the thrilling days of yesteryear. They won't take “NO” for an answer! If you doubt it, read the guest editorial in the Eureka Reporter. An out of town energy industry player tries to reintroduce LNG into our town.

Since we're sticking to the facts about Rex, He did personally, send that letter of support to the voters, endorsing Calpine’s LNG processing

I pulled a few quotes from the Lumberjack to illustrate my points, but please, don't take my word for it, go to the Lumberjack online and read Rex's! It's worth the effort http://thejack.humboldt.edu/modules.phpop=modload&name=PagEd&file=index&page_id=522

"...The city should be open to any and all prospective businesses. You need to embrace everything that comes to town,”

“Taking inventory of land does not mean that more surveys and tests should be conducted, as he sees both as a waste of time and money.”

“Studies drive me nuts,” Bohn said. “Just build it and show me if it works.”

“I could be a liaison for outside business,” Bohn said.

According to the Jack, “Bohn had been thinking about running for the council position in the past and felt that now was the right time because incumbent Chris Kerrigan had not made any contribution to the community that Bohn could see.”


Rex and his friends have ponied up over $70K for Rex to get out their message.

We have a great TV spot ready for air. It is positive, and on target, speaking to the Kerrigan record in creating good local jobs. There is no mention of Rex and the gang. Chris gets to put his vision of Eureka's future to the people. We need your help to buy air time for this vital message. Please give what you can.

Donate now on line at http://www.chriskerrigan.org or send a check to Friends of Chris Kerrigan po box 6341 Eureka Ca 95570.

Tell everyone you know to support Chris...then tell everyone you don't know.

Yours for a brighter future,

Richard
--
To unsubscribe from: Friends of Chris Kerrigan, just follow this link:
http://www.ourhumboldt.org/cgi-bin/dada/mail.cgi?f=u&l=Kerrigan&e=______________.com&p=17619___
Click this link, or copy and paste the address into your browser.

***
__________________
The aftermath:

Times-Standard Editorial:
Article Last Updated: Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 6:11:52 AM PST

A vote against the politics of personal attack

Sometimes, in covering or observing a local community, you have to step back from what's happening and just take a deep breath.

The 4th Ward Eureka City Council race is one of those times.

Rex Bohn, community volunteer and a Renner Petroleum manager, is challenging incumbent Chris Kerrigan, who is experienced and personable, for the seat. They should debate the issues, campaign for what they believe in, and let the best man win.

But a recent e-mail, on behalf of the Kerrigan campaign, has left many shaking their heads in our community.

Last week, Richard Salzman, a Trinidad resident representing himself as part of Friends of Chris Kerrigan, sent an e-mail to hundreds of people asking for financial and other support for the Kerrigan campaign.


There's nothing wrong with that. As campaign manager for District Attorney Paul Gallegos during the recent DA recall election, Salzman -- who also opposed the recent proposed Calpine project -- proved himself to be articulate, tenacious and effective in political matters.

But the e-mail went a step beyond what we usually find in Eureka council contests, and indeed seemed more in line with the overtly and overly emotional appeals seen in the DA recall and Calpine battles.

Consider these examples, and we quote:

"Rex Bohn is a reactionary oilman out for revenge."

"Like PL, Rex is running a mean and sleazy campaign."

"Rex Bohn is out for himself."

Rubbish.

We've seen no evidence of revenge, meanness or self-centeredness about Bohn. The only real sleaze we've seen so far is the aforementioned e-mail sent out on behalf of Kerrigan -- which he has said he knew nothing about ahead of time, and which certainly seems out of character for the councilman.

But this editorial is not about supporting Rex Bohn or Chris Kerrigan, or even about Richard Salzman, who appears to have gotten a little carried away in his campaign enthusiasm.

It's about how we choose our elected leaders, and if we're willing to support the politics of personal attack as the nasty new standard in local elections.

We don't believe Eurekans want that kind of politicking in their town, whether they support Bohn or Kerrigan.

After all, it's a council race, not the final battle for Middle Earth.

The DA recall was, we hoped, an anomaly. But whether a one-time phenomenon or not, the conquer-or-die, win-at-all-costs hysteria seen in the recall -- and in the national presidential campaign -- can only serve to hurt us in the long run.

If we devote most of our energies to fighting among ourselves on the North Coast, to squabbling, insulting and tearing each other down, there won't be the energy, the vision, the strength found in unity and reasoned compromise, to lift this region into a better future.

As Salzman said, correctly, in kicking off his e-mail:

"I am writing because we need your help to protect Humboldt County's natural beauty and our way of life."

Who would disagree?

We need everybody's help, to overcome the real challenges facing us over transportation, employment, intelligent development and other issues.

But we won't get there by bashing the other guy over the head.

Let's hope for a reasoned, productive and civil debate over the 4th Ward seat and all the other campaigns facing us this political season.

That's what many of us say we want. Now's the time to prove it.
***
__________________Eureka Reporter Editorial
9/22/04
Kerrigan Should Dump Salzman, Apologize To Bohn

The e-mail recently sent out by Chris Kerrigan campaign adviser Richard Salzman is despicable.

At the least, Kerrigan should have disavowed the outrageous e-mail and dumped Salzman as a campaign adviser for writing such scurrilous allegations.

What is really needed is for Kerrigan and Salzman to apologize to Rex Bohn, who is challenging Kerrigan for the Fourth Ward City Council post.

We urge Eureka residents to read in this issue the appalling e-mail sent by Salzman. He makes scandalous accusations. If the City Council election weren’t so serious to the future of this city, Salzman’s contemptible claims would be hilarious.

For example, Salzman says a vote against Bohn is a vote against Pacific Lumber. How did PL get brought into a Eureka City Council election? What childishness.

Salzman disgracefully says that Bohn is running a mean and sleazy campaign, but we have not found that to be true. Salzman should look in the mirror.

Salzman shamefully claims that Bohn is out for himself. He says this about a man who has dedicated his life to serving the community. Bohn’s charitable works are many. He is a community-spirited man who has helped many organizations over the years. One of his biggest accomplishments was helping to spearhead the drive to establish Redwood Fields in Cutten. That’s hardly out for himself.

Kerrigan has four years with which to run his campaign on. He should stick to that and avoid campaign advisers like Salzman, because it is not worthy of a councilman to have an adviser wage such a sleazy, mudslinging effort at Bohn.

We, as a community, cannot tolerate a campaign based upon smear, vitriol and name-calling.

***

But the damage was done.

And now, it's 2014, and they're back to the same dirty tricks.