POLITICAL PLAY of the WEEK: Political Play Potpourri and the FPPC
(FPPC = California Fair Political Practices Commission).
Michelle Giddens is not displaying her legally required FPPC number (1301067) on her election materials, including the mailings, signs, radio ads, and web site. Her “paid for by” closing voice in her radio ads sounds suspiciously like the voice of “News-Press TV.”
Frank Flamethrower Hotchkiss continues not to have a web site, but his outrageous antics get plenty of coverage elsewhere, as evident when his name combined with this city name is the top hit via a Google search. His FPPC number (1300762) does not seem to appear on his advertising or other election materials. He does, though, have a Union Bug on his printed signs, but will that be common sense for his 953 supporters?
Dale Francisco does not have an FPPC number that can be found, and none appears at his web site or on other advertising materials. He does have a low-budget TV ad that just started and continues with his theme of Vote For Me Because I Am Not Them And That Is All You Need To Know. All the candidates except Francisco finally have an entry of their campaign messages at the Smart Voter web site run by the League of Women Voters. Francisco also is missing from the interviews by Noozhawk and ...wait for it... Casa Magazine, the junk mail shill for real estate ads. UPDATE: Francisco has an FPPC number (1300906) but it still is not displayed in his advertising; Litten and Hansen also did not respond to the interview by Noozhawk.
Dan Litten, a physician who should know something about cranial fragility, does not wear a bicycle helmet when he rides around town meeting videographers. Maybe the open ears helps him hear illegal gasoline powered blowers from farther away?
Bob Hansen drinks Bud Light in the public park and gets his medicinal marijuana from Nature’s Path. Because Hansen and Litten are not raising more than $1000 for their campaigns, they were dissed by the Lodging and Restaurant Association by not being invited to that group's forum last Wednesday. Too bad, as Hansen usually knows more about city happenings and policy issues than the trio endorsed by the News-Press-Mess-Less-Suppress-Depress.
Das Williams has several FPPC numbers, but his ad on page 7 of the latest Shape of Voice newspaper (issue #5) does not include the number. (Yes, one of his FPPC numbers and its associated committee was terminated.) He also accepted an endorsement from an anonymous blog, second-tier or not.
Helene Schneider is using her campaign signs from her original election four years ago, but they will not be any good for next time in 2010. Or, she is trying to convey that she is up for election, not reelection, for the first time this year.
Brian Barnwell has an FPPC number (1256037) but his web site (www.barnwellforcitycouncil.com) is a registry placeholder and has no content since it was created on September 4.
In Barnwell bonus news, the Independent reported this in a web edition article last Friday:
“Barnwell’s relations with the News-Press have grown so sour that it’s tainted his relationships with other elected officials. For example, Barnwell put fellow councilmember Iya Falcone, as well county supervisor Salud Carbajal, on notice that if they maintained any kind of communications with News-Press editorial page editor Travis Armstrong, he and they were through.”
If true, and it must be if it was published in an Independent news article by Nick Welsh, then that Barnwell Hardball is the Political Play of the Season. To mix up some sports metaphors:
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLL!!!!!!!!!!
posted by Citizen Stringer | 10/29/2007 09:57:00 PM
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27 Comments:
Don't get your panties in a bunch, Gentle Readers. Predictions about the election results are up for next week.
And for a change, let's try to stay on topic here.
What is with all chasiter fascist posters. I can understand sdlG as owner but Mayor Blum and now CS. If I wanted a strict narrowly focused and sheepish view I would navigate to Dr Lauras weblog.
Speaking of sour relations with the News-Press, for the benefit of those many who don't read the paper any more, Travis threw a tantrum this morning against Helene for not appearing on his radio show. So his 100 listeners will now miss out. Travis sounds positively Barnwellian: turn me down for radio, and I beat you up in print. Cross-over, multi-media bullying on McCaw's nickel.
I do not quite know what I am, but I am pretty sure that advertising by candidates for election must include those FPPC numbers.
Das Williams also has TV ads, or he did earlier in the month.
Let the swiftboating begin. I happen to be looking at a Francisco brochure with its FPPC number clearly printed on the lower right corner of the inside flap. Be the peace you want to see.
League of Women Voters provides free, easy to use, easy to read websites for all candidates. Francisco should use it.
And let's be done with all the rest of this silly expensive campaign nonsense. In the age of the internet we don't need campaign donors who then later come calling for special interest paybacks.
The internet and the LWV providing free campaign access to caring and educated voters will at last bust the public employee union's control of state and local politics.
But it does take a little effort on the part of the voter to educate themselves rather than waiting to get spoon fed useless mailers from the "friends" of public employee unions who have no other purpose than sucking out every last tax dollar of yours that they can, and ensure their own medical, retirement and job security while escaping any form of productive accountability for their use of our tax dollars.
Cheap shot about Casa, Citizen Stringer. Yes, it's primarily about real estate but does cover culture and particularly visual art quite well. Their Film Festival issues are always strong, too.
Slightly off topic; Das's commericals are pretty good! Big improvement from the ads in the Sup's race.
As the original post noted, "none can be found" about the FPPC number for Francisco. Apparently, someone found it somewhere.
Calm, people, one more week to go!
Hey -
The voice tag on candidate Giddens radio spots is NOT the voice of News Press TV. He is a personal friend of mine though. I won't mention any names here 'cause doing a VO shouldn't be construed as a political endorsement.
As for who IS the voice of News Press TV - I couldn't tell you!
Gentle Readers,
Some of us who have been involved in campaigns can’t understand the weird fascination some of you have with Campaign ID numbers. (It’s not an FPPC #, the FPPC doesn't issue the number, the Secretary of State does. You obtain it by filing a Campaign Committee Statement of Organization, Form 410).
And the only place it’s required to be used is in conjunction with campaign financial reporting. Some candidates choose to print it on materials to make it available for donors who may have reporting requirements (registered committees and major donors).
But it’s not required on literature or mailings.
(http://www.fppc.ca.gov/manuals/manual2local.pdf page 33 & 34.
The disclosure requirement for mailings: The name of the candidate, his or her street address, city, state, and zip code must be placed on the outside of each piece of mail in no less than 6-point type and in a color or print which contrasts with the background so that it is easily read. If a single candidate’s controlled committee is sending the mailer, the name of the committee may be placed on the outside of the mailer if the committee’s name contains the name of the candidate. A post office box may be used as the address only if the committee’s street address is on its Statement of Organization (Form 410) on file with the Secretary of State.
There are specific requirements for Radio & Television disclosure required to obtain the “lowest unit rate.” These include: TV, must show a photo or image of the candidate for at least 4 seconds and clearly identify the candidate. Radio, must include the candidate’s voice, and identify the candidate and office. The FEC has no requirements related to state identification numbers.
http://www.fcc.gov/mb/policy/political/candrule.htm
Can we focus on real issues?
Alright, George.
I accept my Casa (Magazine) Comeuppance.
It still is junk mail, though, in that people receive it whether they want it or not, and it is a wholly owned subsidiary of the local real estate industry, sort of the way South Coast Beacon became.
However, Casa indeed does include some nice newsy stuff about arts and cultural events, a column by The Palm, and last time even some interviews with the Council candidates and, egads, an editorial about State Street traffic proposals.
With all that, Casa even can be considered to be filling some of the void left after the News-...-Suppress implosion of credibility and content.
Now leave me alone so I can get back to my Swiftboating!
Speaking as the 'voice of News-Press TV,' I can reliably say that I did not do the "closing voice" for Michelle Giddens radio ads.
Just to set the record straight...
Sooo ... we have switched from voting for the candidate that has the most fund raising power or the best hair to the one that has or uses an FPPC number properly?
I don't understand the significance or relevance of this post as to who will be the best leader.
Give me a break!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
9:07 PM -- the point was made and your vitriol was not needed.
Campaign ID numbers are required for other races and other forms of media and I think they are a good idea to list whether or not you have to. Full disclosure is always a good thing.
CS: Please, stop, with the "second tier blog" shots. I am not the author of said blog, nor do I know who is, but your pomposity offends me. If that guy is writing a second tier blog, I assume that you believe that your writing is first tier, which it is not. Seriously, get over yourself.
"For example, Barnwell put fellow councilmember Iya Falcone, as well county supervisor Salud Carbajal, on notice that if they maintained any kind of communications with News-Press editorial page editor Travis Armstrong, he and they were through.”
No such text appears in the Indy article -- perhaps it has been removed? Hopefully you didn't just make it up. In any case, "If true, and it must be if it was published in an Independent news article by Nick Welsh" doesn't apply. Although I think it would be a good idea if TKA were shunned.
"Dan Litten, a physician who should know something about cranial fragility, does not wear a bicycle helmet when he rides around town meeting videographers."
Perhaps Dan is aware that a) bicycle helmets are made of fragile styrofoam that even the manufacturers say provides no protection in impacts over 14 mph b) a study in England showed that drivers give helmeted cyclists less leeway, resulting in more accidents, and c) generally, studies show no positive benefit from wearing helmets; see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_helmet#The_helmet_debate
That Independent article (web edition) now is published with this text:
"Barnwell’s relations with the News-Press have grown so sour that it’s tainted his relationships with other elected officials who still communicate with News-Press editorial page editor Travis Armstrong. He's had run-ins with fellow councilmembers Iya Falcone and Salud Carbajal on the subject."
History is written by those who edit it.
and if Dale's commercial was a slick, high-production value Hollywood ad like that of one of our incumbents, he would have been slammed for that. Jeez a challenger just can't catch a break.
Even Travis is hedging his bets recongizing the incumbents may well retain their seats due to
"powerful political forces", not matter how out of step these incumbents are in the neighborhoods.
Who are these "powerful political forces" and how do they end up overruning those who are really fed up with the current council?
I suspect the most powerful political force is indifference, and that is a heck of a way to keep losing our city by inches to these ruinious social utopia schemes that are turning us into one more failed Santa Monica or Berkeley.
I would be so sorry to see us keep going down that path, so that these unknown powerful political forces can be assauged ...... for what?
Then Brian Barnwell must also be mad at the entire city because they continue to run ads and post legal notices in the N-P, and Grant House as well, whose ads for his sewing machine company appear in the in the paper regularly. What's that about work and play with others?
I have in my hand a campaign brochure from Brian Barnwell and a door hanger from Das Williams with no FPPC number - so what's the issue?
Sara, you offer such insight - thanks!!
You are so great--
I loved it when you wrote:
"Campaign ID numbers are required for other races and other forms of media and I think they are a good idea to list whether or not you have to. Full disclosure is always a good thing."
I couldn't have said it better myself.
So...what are you non-ID number jerk offs hiding?????????????????????????????????????
What is it you refuse to disclose?!
We're ON to you - we WILL find out...
big kudos to this blog!!!!!
great stuff!
yeah!
Thanks for the kudos but "jerk-offs"?
Helene has seriously offended many voters with her slick mailer that touts her opposition to development but makes no mention whatsoever about her vote for the biggest project of all--the 115-units at St. Francis. Her supposed concern for neighborhoods did not extend to the one near there.
I am glad Helene will be around to give Iya a run for the money and for mayor. This will be a good contest between these two.
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