Subject: Message from Bill Whitney on benicianews.com
Date: 2007-11-03
Dear Reader,
Below is a message posted on Benicianews.com. Bill voted against the clean campaign reform ordinance that was drafted which made an effort to control the outside contributions, including those from PACs. Not only that, he voted against the voluntary campaign expenditure limit saying that he could run a campaign for $750, $13,000, $27,000 or whatever. A strong clean campaign ordinance would make it clear that Benicia elections are local elections and that outside interests would be limited in their expenditures (or exposed for not voluntarily limiting their expenditures).
Being shocked that what worked in the 2005 election by Seeno and Valero and the Union PACs is like being shocked that ice cream melts on a hot day.
P.S. I have searched my email from top to bottom for a personal note from Whitney. Nothing. I have received many phone calls and emails, including calls from other council members who are dismayed about this. Thanks to all of you for your concern. This is not about me. This is about clean campaigns in Benicia.
P.P.S. Bill also voted against my ordinance which would have restricted big box stores in Benicia. Bill voted for the Seeno project to move forward (vote was 3-2 - Messina, Whitney, Hughes). Just the facts, folks, just the facts.
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Subject: A Message from Bill Whitney regarding campaign literature
Nov 02, 2007 9:36 PM
By: Bill Whitney
Today some of you received a piece of campaign literature which bashed my opponent, Elizabeth Patterson, in a very cruel, hit-below-the-belt way. I was just as surprised and horrified to find this in my mailbox, and I would like to make it perfectly clear that I had absolutely nothing to do with it, nor did I have any knowledge of it. The small, almost impossible to find, print on the addressed side of this mailer shows that it was sent by a group calling themselves "Benicia Local Government Accountability Coalition". I am not familiar with this organization and am certainly not a member or supporter of it. Unfortunately, there are Political Action Committees who are able to send out such information on their own dime and without a candidate's knowledge. Most of these pieces are positive pieces which provide information about the candidate they support and ask for the public's support as well. That is not at all the case with this most recent flyer. I pride myself on having run a positive campaign, and anyone who knows me knows that this most recent flyer is way outside of my integrity and values. I am too busy walking precincts and meeting as many Benicians as possible to be in any way involved in such hate mongering. I ask that you please toss it in the trash if you receive it and do not allow it to influence your vote in either direction. |
