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Timm Herdt of the Ventura County Star Learns of Political Endorsements from Websites?; Update: And Still Gets Tony Strickland’s WRONG
If you want to see a full list, one is available on Jackson’s website. On the Strickland website under “endorsements,” however, the message reads: “This page will be updated shortly.”
But, how did he write the rest of his piece?
Oh Yeah!
Press releases or actual reporting.
So, the piece’s title should read: Tony Strickland’s web master failed to write down his too numerous endorsements.
Right?
Try this link, Timm.
Update:By the way, Timm, please revise your piece. Tony Strickland has won the endorsement of Santa Barbara City Councilman Dale Francisco so your statement that Hannah-Beth Jackson has the unanimous endorsement of the Santa Barbara City Council does NOT pass FACT CHECK.
Technorati Tags: Hannah-Beth Jackson, Tony Strickland, Timm Herdt, Ventura County Star
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Receiving Campaign Contributions from Tobacco Companies a Campaign Issue? Part 3
Political cartoon by Steve Greenberg, Ventura County Star
There has been a continuing FLAP regarding tobacco industry/company contributions to the Republican Party of Ventura County and the California State Senate campaign of Republican nominee Tony Strickland.Today, political activists who support the candidacy of Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson will be protesting these tobacco contributions outside of the Hyatt Westlake Plaza Hotel in Westlake Village, California prior to a Strickland fundraising event featuring former Massachusetts Governor and Presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Flap understands that the GOP will have counter protesters.
But, what are the facts about the tobacco industry and the political contributions they make?
And, has Hannah-Beth Jackson received campaign contributions indirectly from politicians who have accepted money from the tobacco industry?
The answer to the question is yes.
Are Hannah-Beth Democrat Party supporters then hypocritical in protesting Tony Strickland’s acceptance of tobacco campaign cash when both their candidate and party have accepted like contributions?
The answer is yes.
Ok, back to the facts. This first graphic illustrates the influence of the tobacco products industry on state of California politics.
Graphic courtesy of Followthemoney.org
The above graphic represents donations to state legislative campaigns, state constitutional officers (e.g. Governor, Secretary of State, etc) and election measures. The California GOP has received more campaign money than the Democrats but in this election cycle by only 8 plus per cent.Now, let’s look at the federal national contributions:
Again the GOP over the past decade or more have been the recipient of the majority of the federal candidate contributions. This includes members and candidates of/for the House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, national political parties and President. Note that the GOP controlled the Congress for the majority of the last decade.
Here is a graphic from this year’s federal election cycle of tobacco industry money given to Congress:
Graphic courtesy of Open Secrets.org
There has been alot of tobacco money running through political campaigns, no?Why?
Would heavy regulation and taxation have something to do with it?
You bet.
The industry is buying access to the legislative and executive leaders who regulate them – just like any other industry that deals with government.
What makes it EVEN MORE difficult to track the contributions is the propensity of California legislative campaigns to raise money in one district and then transfer it to another. Same goes with the political parties both Democrat and Republican.
After reviewing the campaign records of Hannah-Beth Jackson and Tony Strickland, it can be said that for now Strickland has accepted the most DIRECTLY reported contributions from the tobacco industry. A summary of Strickland’s receipts for his California State Senate run this year are here.
However, Hannah-Beth Jackson has also received two money transfers from a fellow California State Senator, Gloria Negrete McLeod, CA SD-32, who HAS received money from Altria Corporation, a tobacco products company. Hanna-Beth Jackson’s contribution receipts are here.
Of course, these records ONLY reflect what has taken place up to May 22, 2008. Tony Strickland has already issues a press release that he has raised over $1 million for his campaign. Undoubtedly, there will be more campaign transfers into Jackson’s account from the Democrat Party legislative leadership and other politicians.
So, where is the FLAP?Both candidates and both political parties have received contributions from the tobacco industry. The GOP has received more than the Democrats but both have been the recipients of millions of dollars according to contribution limits and state and federal law.
Smoking and chewing tobacco may be unhealthful habits but the use of the products is NOT illegal.
Unless the protesters today can PROVE that these tobacco contributions have illegally influenced the campaigns of either candidate then Flap REALLY doesn’t see the point.
If Ventura County voters do not wish to vote for someone who has accepted campaign contributions from an American business interest selling a legal product that is heavily regulated and taxed, then so be it.
There has been full disclosure.
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Receiving Campaign Contributions from Tobacco Companies a Campaign Issue? Part 2
Senator and presumptive Democrat nominee for President Barack Obama enjoying a cigarette
Is receiving contributions from a Tobacco company a campaign issue?
Flap reported the “HIT PIECE” from Ventura County Star political reporter and Sacramento Bureau Chief Timm Herdt and progressive left-wing VC Star blogger Brian Dennert.
What is the Flap?
You would think from the Ventura County Star that the Ventura County Republican Party was accepting money from drug lords or crack dealers.
The last time Flap checked smoking was NOT illegal and the manufacture of cigars, cigarettes and other tobacco products was NOT illegal. Moreover, there are many Americans employed by the tobacco industry who pay their taxes, vote and enjoy their pursuit of happiness like everyone else.
Also, the state of California and the federal government gladly tax the purchase of these products.
What is REALLY the Flap?
The political agenda of the Ventura County Star, Timm Herdt and Brian Dennert is to paint Ventura County Republicans as immoral,unhealthy and irresponsible pols who take the money to the detriment of Ventura County citizens and voters. Flap invites the readers to look at Dennert’s and Herdt’s blogs and see if they can refute Flap’s opinion of their BIASED agenda.
Does Flap think smoking is unhealthy? You bet. But, I do not believe it is criminal to smoke in a responsible way and according to California law. Nor is it a campaign issue if members of the California legislature lawfully accept campaign money from companies that make tobacco products.
A question back to Timm Herdt: If Tony Strickland’s opponent Democrat Hanna-Beth Jackson accepts ANY campaign contributions from the Democrat Party, California State employee groups and/or Union PACS who have received money from the tobacco industry will she return the money?
Flap thinks it is doubtful because that “distasteful†tobacco cash is heavily laundered in Jackson’s campaign reports. Check them out here.
Now, readers of the Ventura county Star have written exposing the BIAS of the newspaper and HYPOCRISY of the Hanna-Beth Jackson campaign.
- Samantah Harrison, Moorpark:
…How completely predictable that in an article that points out that both parties accept contributions from Altria, we get a headline singling out Tony Strickland and the GOP. The fact that Democrats accept money from the same source is buried in the article and almost excused. Not only that, but some of the contributions made directly to Hannah-Beth Jackson’s campaign were from Democratic candidates who received money from Altria. How hypocritical of her to criticize Strickland for accepting help when she has done the same from indirect sources…
- Josh Guthrie, Ventura
…What a stellar example of The Star’s political bias! In an article in which Timm Herdt freely admits both parties and their candidates have received money from Altria, both the headline and subhead mention only the GOP and Tony Strickland. The readers of this paper need to realize that between now and November, The Star’s mission will be to help get Hannah-Beth Jackson elected while pretending to be unbiased…
- Mark J. Masterson, Ventura
…If Bill Gallaher, chairman of the county Democratic Central Committee, is correct that we’re judged by who our friends are, then perhaps people should be aware that most of Hannah-Beth Jackson’s campaign contributions have come from extreme labor unions, trial lawyers and controversial organizations like Planned Parenthood.
I also haven’t seen her ask the Democratic Party to return contributions from the same source she criticizes the Ventura County Republican Party for…
- Tressa Golden, Ventura
…It didn’t take me long to discover that some of Hannah-Beth Jackson’s campaign contributors were recipients of funding from Altria.
These contributors are either current or past Democratic candidates for office in California.
To be consistent with the statements she made in this article, she should return the money she received from these sources.
Will she?
Tressa has a good question and Flap repeats his question to Timm Herdt of the Ventura County Star:
- If Tony Strickland’s opponent Democrat Hanna-Beth Jackson accepts ANY campaign contributions from the Democrat Party, California State employee groups and/or Union PACS who have received money from the tobacco industry will she return the money?
The people can be fooled some of the time but the repeated BIAS of the Ventura County Star newspaper is OVER THE TOP.
Over to Herdt, Dennert and the Jackson campaign to explain themselves.
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Receiving Campaign Contributions from Tobacco Companies a Campaign Issue?
