Disclosure Requirement Bill Nixed

There was a bill making its way through the state legislature that would have required contributors to certain political campaigns to identify themselves. That bill met its demise due to lack of support, suprisingly enough. Part of the reason this bill was introduced, aside from this silly "campaign reform" effort that never seems to end, was the hit campaign against Chris Kerrigan last time he ran for Eureka City Council. Some people, who wouldn't identify themselves, ran a number of hit pieces on TV and snail mail running down Kerrigan.

I'll be the first to admit I find it cowardly when people publish anything, whether it be opinions or political ads, anonymously. The answer to that is simple, though: If someone's running ads against someone, or some thing, and they won't identify themselves, don't vote the way they want you to vote. That is, of course, unless you already have some other reason to vote one way or the other on an issue.

Seems to me that might well be what happened in the Kerrigan/ Bohn race. Most were surprised at the margin of victory Kerrigan acheived over Rex Bohn. Most, myself included, figured that race would be pretty close. I suspect some folks voted for Kerrigan because of the anonymous hit campaign against him and I don't blame those who did. I suspect, though, the biggest reason for the large margin of victory was Bohn's relationship to Renner Petroleum.

Along the same lines, the same thing happened in the recall effort against District Attorney Paul Gallegos: Much was made of paid petitioners from outside the area gathering signatures to put the recall on the ballot. After all was said and done, and those petitioners made their money, the recall effort lost. So much for money in politics. Yet, one local group, whose name escapes me now, wants to make it illegal for corporations outside the area to contribute to local political campaigns.

If you don't like who a candidate or cause's supporters are, don't vote for them. If they don't identify themselves and you have no other issue on which to base your vote, don't vote for them. As for me, I usually make my mind up independent of whatever ads a campaign may run. I suggest others do the same.