Monday, October 16, 2006

Bonnie Neely and the Richard Salzman connection.

Why is it such a surprise to many on the blogs of Bonnie Neely's involvement with Richard Salzman? I have seen people almost threaten slander considering this subject. Let me put the controversy to rest right here. Richard Salzman is helping Bonnie's campaign and has been helping since early in the primary. It has in no way been a secret. I have witnessed his assistance myself. Call over at Nancy Flemmings office and they will tell you the same. Why would Bonnie even think about using Salzman? Why not? Richard helped Jill Geist win the 5th District seat. He helped Chris Kerrigan retain his City Council position. Not only did he thwart the re-call Paul attempt, he helped Paul get re-elected. And yes, he helped Bonnie Neely win the primary election. See a trend? Yes, they all have on thing in common. Victory in the polls. The average voter does not have a clue who Richard Salzman is. Only those in the serious political cicle even know of his involvement. Richard is a good political strategist and knows what needs to be done to win a campaign. And let's face it, most politicians desire to win at any cost! I do not begrudge nor do wonder why Bonnie has not distanced her from Salzman. Not too many really care. Or do they? Call Bonnie up and see. Might be interesting.

36 comments:

Eric V. Kirk said...

Well, the idea is to make Neely and others who take counsel from Salzman to pay a political price for it. But you're right. Outside of the usual suspects of political activists and pols, nobody knows who Salzman is, and trying to make an issue of him will generate about as much political capital as the Democrats' attempts to make an issue of Karl Rove - if you care about Karl Rove one way or another, you're probably already solidified. Same with Salzman. His transgressions are old news, and most people not vested in political camps don't hold grudges that long.

What's kind of fascinating is that the local right wing is pulling pages from the national Democrats' book of losing in so many ways. Dikeman lost because he had no positive vision, only criticism of his opponent.

Okay, so it looks like the Democrats are going to win this time around. But that owes more to Republican hubris than any real strategy on the part of Democrats.

samoasoftball said...

Eric: I am not so sure there locally. I think Virginia, a Republican, will win the mayor position, and with only one Republican running for Eureka City Council, Mike Jones, yes the Democrats will win. Just who they will be is to be seen. In Arcata, it is still up in the air. I would not be surprised to see Meserve survive once more. Arnold will be in office once again thanks to Bonnie Neely and her Republicans. Ironic.

Anonymous said...

You guys are all wached---funny that we all sit here and discuss who is going to win, who is going to loose, who is supporting who, we spends more. We spend more energy on this box ideology then looking around at our own community. heck how long does it take for a community to come togeather to grasp the challenges ahead--maybe this next election will have some thought on the manner.

Anonymous said...

samoasoftball said...
Eric: I am not so sure there locally. I think Virginia, a Republican, will win the mayor position, and [. . .]

AND has samoasoftball mentioned that he is on Virginia Bass's election committee? That's something he mentioned on HIS blog. So it is only natural that he thinks Virginia will win the mayoral race. The question I ask is: Is it just WISHFUL thinking?

samoasoftball said...

11:06-Andrew: I am the working class. Yes, I am helping Virginia take back Eureka for the working class. I have knocked on many doors and have many more to go before the end of this election. Virginia is a moderate who actually does labor and is a great representative for growth in the area. Peter is anti growth by his actions. Anything else you have to add?

Anonymous said...

Hi Richard, I have a question that I have been meaning to ask for a while, and thought you would probably know...a week or so ago, Buhne did a satire on LaVallee with him grumbling about being seven points down in the polls.
This got me to thinking, how much polling around the city, if any, is actually being done, aside from the CREG poll that Larry Glass initiated?
And if so, how do the numbers look for the various races?

Anonymous said...

Eric, Salzman's known, or confirmed transgressions are old news. But what about those not yet documented or publicized?

You hang with Salzman and some of the slime rubs off, it can't be helped no matter how many people know who Salzman is.

I think more people know who Salzman is these days. The NCJ did a good job of exposing him for what he is about.

Eric V. Kirk said...

The NCJ article is, what, two years old? You remember it. I remember it. But I bet more than half of the voters wouldn't even recognize the name.

Anonymous said...

Who is Salt Man?

samoasoftball said...

9:04-I have heard of very little polling. I do not know how anyone is doing, and if anybody knows the polling trends, it has sure been hush hush. If I hear any, I will let people know. That may be why no one is telling me.

Mary: Wes is termed out in the Senate seat and former Assemblyperson Patricia Wiggins is the probable replacement. Too bad Virginia Strom-Martin didn't run, but Patricia will get my vote most likely. Wes will be running for the 1st District Assembly seat in 2008. I may challenge him then in the primary as a moderate working class Democrat if I garner enough financial commitments to run a feasible campaign. So far it looks good. Wes needs to get off the government dole.

Anonymous said...

Well Eric maybe you're right. So, if you don't know about Salzman get on the internet and check out the North Coast Journal, "Web of Lies" !? Or link to Rose's Blog or the Watchpaul blog and start reading. Then tell two friends about what you read.

It was two years ago ? Does that mean it doesn't count ? Does that mean it didn't happen ?

Tell me Eric have you ever had the cops take your computer for ... examination? I seriously doubt it.

His transgressions are old news! I guess that makes them part of history. It shows what he is capable of.

Just a viewpoint from the other side.

Anonymous said...

eric said: "Okay, so it looks like the Democrats are going to win this time around. "

Which democrats? Wolford or Glass? Kuhnel or Leonard? Abrams?

All democrats....

samoasoftball said...

Mary: Here is some scoop. I talked to Virginia Strom-Martin who felt she was undermined by the local Humboldt Democrats (Thompson, Chesbro, HCDCC) through backroom politics when she explored running for Chesbro's vacant seat. She was given no support north of Mendocino, even though she was highly effectual assemblyperson. (OK. I may be prejudice. I served on her campaign committee.) You and I are both moderate Democrats whose local party committee has given us some grief. Am I wrong?

samoasoftball said...

Oh yes Mary: I re-read what you said about the write in. My bad.

Eric V. Kirk said...

Tell me Eric have you ever had the cops take your computer for ... examination? I seriously doubt it.

I think they would be very disappointed. I don't even have porn on it.

eric said: "Okay, so it looks like the Democrats are going to win this time around. "

Which democrats? Wolford or Glass? Kuhnel or Leonard? Abrams?


I was talking the national level. It looks like the democrats will take the house, and have a very good chance of taking or at least breaking even in the senate. I didn't think they could do it without an overall positive message. Maybe they still won't.

Hank Sims said...

The NCJ article is, what, two years old?

Just over a year, actually. But I think your larger point -- that hardly anyone knows Salzman's name -- is probably correct.

It's easy for political junkies to forget that the vast majority of people are not political junkies.

Anonymous said...

I already wrote in Richard against Patty Berg on my absentee ballot.Hey,who knows at this point he may be winning.

Anonymous said...

Actually Mary,It's sitting here on my desk waiting to be mailed.I forgot to send it out yesterday.Richard get those sigs dude.Let's talk further about this before or after our meeting tonight.Hell,if you have time get the papers ready and gather a few sigs there.

Anonymous said...

You guys should attend a few HCDCC meetings and see what is going on before you take shots at the group. Virginia Strom-Martin was well-received the one time she attended HCDCC last year. Complain if you will, but unless you were there you can't really know.

Anonymous said...

12:06, didnt the hcdcc turn their backs on the ONLY DEM candidate for Supe? And endorse one of the two Rebublican candidates? I know one local Democrat committee did, is HCDCC the one? If so, then I think they know how they operate; moreover, Richard talked to Virginia Strom-Martin about it, and the fact that she felt undermined by the hcdcc speaks volumes...

samoasoftball said...

12:06pm Just a reminder that I was member of the HCDCC for 5 years. I have been to a few meetings this last year and was not very welcomed. Just to let you know the truth. I do not know what they have become, but it is not good for the party as a whole. Some of us die hard Democrats do not like what the HCDCC represents. It starts locally.

samoasoftball said...

Mary: Never take your advice? Cmon, I challenge that. Changed my picture on literature and web page per your request. Investigated Union Pacific's responsibility for environmental maintenance on the balloon track which changed some of my thinking. And still no Marks sign in your yard. Yes, we will not agree on all issues, but I have never been closed to dialouge.

Oh yes, tonights meeting. It is the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) meeting. 6:30 tonight at the Labor Temple. It is an open meeting.

Anonymous said...

HCDCC can not and did not endorse any Republicans for any office. In the case of Bonnie Neely, as in Jill Geist's district, HCDCC took no position. The fact that HCDCC did not endorse the one Democrat running could be taken as a) a compliment to Bonnie Neely (a registered Republican) or b) a slap in the face to the Democrat, which would be you, Richard.

I believe it was more of a compliment to Bonnie than anything, plus a belief that Nancy Flemming is simply unacceptable. Isn't one of your former campaign managers now running Flemming's campaign? And aren't you supporting Republican Virgina Bass-Jackson for Mayor? What are you, a Republican? or a Democrat? Or?

samoasoftball said...

No, anonymous 1:45, it was not a compliment of Bonnie, it was slap in the face of this Democrat.

The HCDCC in the 90's, the one that helped support Gray Davis, Bill Clinton, Mike Thompson, Wes Chesbro, and Virginia Strom-Martin endorsed me in 1998 against Bonnie because she had been in there too long then. As a matter of fact I was recruited by the HCDCC to run against her!

Did I become a worse Democrat by union organizing workers all over the west coast for 5 years from 1999 to 2004? I was still active politically, just at a whole new level. Don't care how you slice or dice it. The HCDCC needs new leaders if this is where they are going.

I had co-managers by the way who endorsed differently. I definitely speak for neither. Virginia Bass is a neighborhood girl from Myrtletown and has lived and worked here her whole life. She will bring much needed stability to the council. Peter is an outsider who has brought division and his own agenda to the council.

And by the way, since you posted anonymously, you now have the "You are a wiener" tag on you!

Anonymous said...

I'm afraid of the "wiener tag" Richard, so I'm posting with my name. I agree with you, the HDCC does NOT speak for me, a life-long Democrat. They have become a little "clique" that snubs its nose at people who don't buy their line of rhetoric.

Thank you for being a voice of reason.......

samoasoftball said...

Count me in if Virginia wants support. Patricia Wiggins has went through the process though and will win this Senate position. And she is not much of a candidate. Kind of like Patty Berg. Not much there, but who are the options? Sad for northern California.

Anonymous said...

Richard,

Somehow because you are registered in the Democratic party you think that they should have endorsed you?

But Virginia Bass, a Republican, somehow gets your support when she is running against a Democrat?

You can't have it both ways man. Either acknowledge that people can choose the best candidate, no matter what party (as you claim to be doing for Eureka Mayor - a city you don't even live or work in).

Or admit that you are being a total hypocrite.

Most Democrats thought Neely was a better candidate than you - sorry dude, get over it. This is a non-partisan local race, political party registration shouldn't even matter that much - just like you're claiming it doesn't in the Eureka mayor race.

Many people told you, with Flemming running it wasn't going to go well for you. You ignored that advice, and now even after it proved true, you complain and gripe. I would have voted for you next time, but not after seeing how you behaved after the primary.

samoasoftball said...

11:53- If I was just some registered Democrat that had no prior history with the HCDCC that would be one thing. I would have no argument. The fact that I was a past member who was active as a fund raiser, volunteer, precinct captain, monitor, walker, knocker, phonebanker, I felt they could have at least endorsed me. I felt I at least had earned that for my work in the 90's. But this new HCDCC committee was not active in the Clinton era.

I am an employee of the City of Eureka by the way.

I try to avoid being a hypocrite. If you never have been, go ahead and throw the first stone at me.

I never once claimed to be a better candidate than Bonnie Neely. She has been at the job for 20 years so of course she knows it better than me. I said she had been in office too long and is in fact a Republican in Democrats clothing.

Many people told me Flemming running boded well for me sneaking by one of the candidates. Two Republicans running against each other battling it out. You were defintely never at one of our committee meetings. I just had to bring home the registered Democrats. I failed. But I tried.

I was not the perfect candidate. I am open and honest and if you hold that against a person, I am sorry I lost your vote for my next run at political office. I have a feeling I would have never had it anyways.

Rose said...

Salzman was an unknown quantity when he worked on Geist's campaign. he came in as a volunteer. He became the fundraiser. He never breathed a word about his agenda. We thought he was a regular volunteer like all the others, and we no more dreamed of asking him why he was there than we did Chuck Harvey.

He claimed he had no political experience, other than a stroke of good luck helping Gallegos - and he had only entered that campaign 3-6 weeks before the election.

AFTER JIll was elected, and AFTER Stoen announced that he was going to file the PL lawsuit, another Richard emerged - full court press.

When JIll voted against Stoen/Gallegos' request to hire outside counsel, the other side of Richard began to show in earnest, exerting pressure, and ultimately, he tried discrediting her, sending his hatchetman, Bob Ornelas out on the radio airwaves noting that it was time to "Dump Geist." Shortly thereafter, "Dump Geist" bumperstickers began showing up in plain brown envelopes, mailed to conservatives in the Fifth District, kind of a "Eureka Coalition for Jobs" kind of stunt.

When confronted, Salzman said he "didn't pay for them."

Long story short(er) - there is a price to be paid for accepting Richard Salzman's help. Not many have the courage or strength to stand up against him, especially those who are weak enought ot beg for his help even knowing what Hank Sims exposed. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.

If Neely is accepting Salzman's help after what Salzman did and was preparing to do to her husband, Terry Farmer, and what he did to her friend, Rick Brazeau during the Recall, then I have lost all respect for her, and it will never be recovered.

Anonymous said...

Rose - your obsession is getting old.

Anonymous said...

rose, I find your obsession fascinating. keep the posts coming.

Anonymous said...

With all the ins and outs-its 'refreshing' to have someone that keeps track! Thanks for watching out for us Rose-what do you think Richard Salzmann 'has' on Bonnie Neely?

Anonymous said...

Ask Jill Geist what happened after she was elected and Richard Salzman came into her office telling Supervisor Geist how to vote on a particular issue.

Supervisor Geist told Salzman where to go and threw his fat ass out of her office.

Same thing happened with Councilmember Mike Jones and David Ogden. Jones ran unopposed with Ogden’s support.

Yet Ogden thought he could dictate to Jones how to vote. One more ass thrown out on the curb.

It’s gonna be interesting in 17 days on how Salzman is perceived. He usually backs winners. But this time I believe it will different. 0 for 4 in Eureka.

Then what’s his spin?

samoasoftball said...

Wow! Lots of heady observations and backdoor political stuff I did not know about. Thanks Rose for the information. Are you still voting for Bonnie though?

Anonymous said...

That's a dumb question Richard. Rose is no more going to vote for any Local Solutions candidate than you would vote for Genghis Khan.

Read her blog-she thinks ANY LS candidate is a puppet for Richard Salzman to manipulate for sinister motives.

http://watchpaul.blogspot.com/

samoasoftball said...

Is Genghis Khan running for anything Rose can vote for? She must be more Rural than me! I am more interested in her local Humboldt County political knowledge and tid bits of information. Weed out what you will.