News
ENLARGE
A flier flaunting sickly fish flopped into the mailboxes of many Grass Valley residents recently, adding a hostile twist to the formerly civil race for the county’s top office.
Sponsored by Nevada County Citizens for Responsible Government, the conservative political group best known for its assistance to former supervisor Drew Bedwell, sent the flier, which bashes Bruce Conklin, a left-leaning candidate for Bedwell’s former District 3 seat on the Board of Supervisors.
“There’s something fishy about Bruce Conklin,” the flier asserts. “Frankly — Bruce Conklin’s record stinks.”
The flier cites Conklin’s quick switch from elected supervisor, where he approved giving $508,000 to the Nevada County Land Trust, to becoming a Land Trust project manager paid through the money he helped give the organization.
Although the treasurer for CRG could not be reached for comment, the political action committee recently put $5,409 toward the campaign for Conklin opponent John Spencer, according to Spencer’s campaign finance statement. Grass Valley City Councilwoman Linda Stevens also is running for the seat.
Conklin has insisted he did nothing wrong and is proud of his record with the Land Trust. He also criticized the Citizens for Responsible Government, which he said is not accountable because it has not identified its funding sources.
The CRG last filed a campaign finance statement on Sept. 30 that did not mention any contributions. The political action committee then missed its Oct. 21 deadline to file an updated statement.
Previous contributions this year have come from development and lumber interests including Julia Amaral, BP Properties LLC, Joe Griggs, Sierra Pacific Industries, Robert Ingram, Kubich Lumber Company, and co-owner of B&C True Value Hardware Kim Janousek. Nevada County Supervisor Robin Sutherland also has made contributions to the group, which has supported the campaigns of Sutherland and fellow Supervisor Sue Horne.
Robert Ingram is listed as the treasurer of the organization, and he has made significant loans to the committee. Ingram is the brother of Grass Valley Mayor Patti Ingram, who is married to supervisor candidate Spencer.
Ingram was out of town and unavailable for comment, a family member said.
Spencer said he was not involved with creating the fliers, although he lauded its creator.
“It seemed to be factual and pretty well done,” Spencer said. “I’ve got to hand it to whoever put it together.”
The dead fish were not too offensive, Spencer said. He called them “kind of appropriate.”
Conklin said he is not planning a response to the flier.
“I don’t respond to garbage. We put out our own mailers that are substantive and true,” Conklin said.
The flier quotes extensively from the Web site of the North Star Foundation, which has been critical of some of the restoration overseen by Conklin at the historic North Star House. Neal Mitchell and Rob Kellenbeck, the founders of the group, have denied involved with the flier and stated in a letter that “we deplore this kind of shoddy political ruse.”
The flier also includes the logo for The Union’s Web site, although the newspaper was not affiliated with the campaign mailer.
Sponsored by Nevada County Citizens for Responsible Government, the conservative political group best known for its assistance to former supervisor Drew Bedwell, sent the flier, which bashes Bruce Conklin, a left-leaning candidate for Bedwell’s former District 3 seat on the Board of Supervisors.
“There’s something fishy about Bruce Conklin,” the flier asserts. “Frankly — Bruce Conklin’s record stinks.”
The flier cites Conklin’s quick switch from elected supervisor, where he approved giving $508,000 to the Nevada County Land Trust, to becoming a Land Trust project manager paid through the money he helped give the organization.
Although the treasurer for CRG could not be reached for comment, the political action committee recently put $5,409 toward the campaign for Conklin opponent John Spencer, according to Spencer’s campaign finance statement. Grass Valley City Councilwoman Linda Stevens also is running for the seat.
Conklin has insisted he did nothing wrong and is proud of his record with the Land Trust. He also criticized the Citizens for Responsible Government, which he said is not accountable because it has not identified its funding sources.
The CRG last filed a campaign finance statement on Sept. 30 that did not mention any contributions. The political action committee then missed its Oct. 21 deadline to file an updated statement.
Previous contributions this year have come from development and lumber interests including Julia Amaral, BP Properties LLC, Joe Griggs, Sierra Pacific Industries, Robert Ingram, Kubich Lumber Company, and co-owner of B&C True Value Hardware Kim Janousek. Nevada County Supervisor Robin Sutherland also has made contributions to the group, which has supported the campaigns of Sutherland and fellow Supervisor Sue Horne.
Robert Ingram is listed as the treasurer of the organization, and he has made significant loans to the committee. Ingram is the brother of Grass Valley Mayor Patti Ingram, who is married to supervisor candidate Spencer.
Ingram was out of town and unavailable for comment, a family member said.
Spencer said he was not involved with creating the fliers, although he lauded its creator.
“It seemed to be factual and pretty well done,” Spencer said. “I’ve got to hand it to whoever put it together.”
The dead fish were not too offensive, Spencer said. He called them “kind of appropriate.”
Conklin said he is not planning a response to the flier.
“I don’t respond to garbage. We put out our own mailers that are substantive and true,” Conklin said.
The flier quotes extensively from the Web site of the North Star Foundation, which has been critical of some of the restoration overseen by Conklin at the historic North Star House. Neal Mitchell and Rob Kellenbeck, the founders of the group, have denied involved with the flier and stated in a letter that “we deplore this kind of shoddy political ruse.”
The flier also includes the logo for The Union’s Web site, although the newspaper was not affiliated with the campaign mailer.
