NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – As the effort to create a 51st state continues to push forward across several Northern California counties, a new political action committee has formed to fight the State of Jefferson movement.
The Keep It California PAC's formation was announced on Monday – the 272nd birthday of President Thomas Jefferson, who has become the new state's namesake.
In its announcement, the group quoted Jefferson in illustrating its opposition to the new state: “I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.”
A group of concerned citizens from around rural California met in Redding on April 7, where they voted to form the new multi-county, nonpartisan political action committee.
At the meeting, the PAC's principal officers were elected: campaign Chair Cindy Ellsmore, Sierra County; spokesman and Vice Chair Kevin Hendrick, Del Norte County; campaign headquarters Vice Chair Rob Rowen, Shasta County; Secretary Dolly Verrue, Siskiyou County; Treasurer John Mertes, Del Norte County; and Assistant Treasurer Larry Marks, Siskiyou County.
Mark Baird, a leader and spokesman for the State of Jefferson effort, greeted the news by saying the opposing group had a First Amendment right to take the action.
Baird said of his movement, “It is raising awareness in the capital that at least eight counties are upset with their lack of representation at the state level,” and added, “How can that be bad for anybody, no matter what it is you want your county to do?”
Ellsmore said the Keep It California PAC was formed to represent the interest of all Republican, Democrat and Independent voters who oppose separation from California. “Our mission is to advocate for better representation of rural California and to oppose breaking away to form a new state.”
In March, the Lake County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to put an advisory measure before voters in November 2016 regarding whether the board should adopt a declaration of support for the county's separation from California.
Later in the month, the Lassen County Board of Supervisors took similar action, voting to place an advisory measure on the June 2016 ballot.
Last year, Del Norte County voters defeated a similar advisory measure, Shasta and Plumas counties last year declined to take part, and Butte County put off its consideration.
Glenn, Modoc, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba counties have taken formal actions to join the State of Jefferson.
Ellsmore said most rural counties get back more money than local taxpayers pay to the state of California.
“If we separate from California, our communities will lose millions of dollars in funding for roads, education, and social services for youth, families and seniors. Jobs funded by the state through our schools, counties, parks, prisons, police and nonprofit community provide living wage employment which helps support our local economy,” she said.
Hendrick was the director of the Keep It California campaign in Del Norte County, which defeated the proposed State of Jefferson advisory measure with a 58-percent no vote in June.
He said the organization is forming local coordinating committees in every county where State of Jefferson proponents are active.
Hendrick said they have volunteers in 20 counties building these committees to monitor and respond to any incursions by Jefferson proponents.
“Wherever they show up we want to have people there asking questions or pointing out facts,” he said.
In addition, Hendrick said Keep It California will provide material and financial assistance to these local efforts, inform voters and elected officials about what it called the “disastrous consequences” of separating from California, and will encourage local agencies to evaluate the financial risks and uncertainties about joining the movement.
He said a number of people from Lake County already have indicated an interest in organizing – whether they form their own committee or work under Keep It California's umbrella.
At the time the Board of Supervisors took its actions, a local Facebook group formed titled “State of Jefferson Resistance.”
The Fair Political Practices Commission number for the PAC is still pending.
The State of Jefferson has have had a small PAC for some time, according to Baird.
Baird, who doesn't sit on the State of Jefferson's board of directors, said he didn't have a lot of information about the PAC, but said it was used to pay for advertising on radio shows and similar outreach.
Searches of the Web sites for the California Secretary of State and the Fair Political Practices Commission didn't turn up any information on such a committee, although if the Jefferson PAC raised less than $1,000 in a calendar year it may not have been required to file, based on a reading of state guidelines.
Two sides argue perspectives
The two sides are aggressive in putting out their viewpoints and in pointing out what they consider are each others' shortcomings.
Baird, a police officer and retired airline captain who wrote the first Jefferson declaration, said he wants liberty and a better life for his son and other young people.
“We want the people of Northern California to take responsibility for their own lives and say how they would like their government to serve them,” he said.
Responded Hendrick, “The general consensus on our side is, it's just wasting everyone's time.”
However, he added, “This has to be more than pushing back on the State of Jefferson. There are real issues in rural counties.”
Hendrick said rural counties need to help government representatives understand their unique issues. “If we can get our rural representatives to caucus, it gives us a bigger voice.”
Baird said of the opposition, “It's really hard to defend against the emotional argument,” claiming those opposed to Jefferson say there will be no police or hospitals if it becomes a reality. “I wonder how the 49 states that aren't named California make it.”
Jefferson's opponents, however, similarly fault it for appeals to emotion with not enough analysis to back up its claims.
For their part, State of Jefferson representatives locally and in the larger statewide movement say they're pressing ahead.
“We've been working with Mendocino County and Colusa County this past month with their town halls and their meetings,” said Truman Bernal of Kelseyville, who had taken the Jefferson matter to the Board of Supervisors.
Baird said so far there has been one town hall in Mendocino County, and more will be needed to educate the county's large population.
Baird will be in Trinity County on Tuesday to speak to a county supervisor there.
Also on Tuesday, Steve Baird – not a relation but a friend of Mark Baird's – will make a presentation to the Plumas County Board of Supervisors on how he believes that county could benefit.
Hendrick said Ellsmore and other Keep It California members will be there in Plumas County to present their side of the issue.
A presentation also is set to take place before the Nevada County Board of Supervisors on May 12, Mark Baird said.
“We're not telling people how to live,” Baird said. “We're asking them, is California a good business partner for you?”
He said he's surprised there has been any pushback at all in small counties like Lake, explaining that Jefferson is offering the chance for each county to have its own senator and Assembly member.
He said the Jefferson movement is entirely grassroots, with no corporate or business sponsorship. All of the people who travel around to meetings do so at their own expense.
The State of Jefferson doesn't have a party affiliation, said Baird.
“We're not members of the Tea Party, either,” he said in response to suggestions that the State of Jefferson is an outgrowth of the Tea Party movement. He said he also has no personal party affiliation.
In return, he alleged that unions have used scare tactics and pumped large amounts of money into the coffers of the opposition, thus the defeat of Del Norte County's advisory measure.
Assemblyman Bill Dodd, who took office representing the the Fourth Assembly District – including Lake County – in December, told community members at a Friday meeting that while he understands the frustration behind the State of Jefferson movement, he predicted it ultimately won't succeed.
“It's never going to pass muster,” he said, but added that rural counties do need more attention.
If the State of Jefferson movement doesn't succeed in getting support for legislation to split off from California, Baird said supporters plan to move forward with a lawsuit challenging Reynolds v. Sims, the 1964 U.S. Supreme Court case that required that legislative districts in states have equal population numbers.
To fund that suit, Baird said they plan to pursue $100 donations each from 10,000 people. If that fails, they could try to trigger a convention of states.
Keep It California can be reached via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , and on the Internet at www.keepitcalifornia.org and https://www.facebook.com/KeepItCalifornia?fref=ts .
The State of Jefferson can be reached via its contact page at http://www.soj51.net/home.html , and visited online at https://www.facebook.com/pages/State-of-Jefferson/507464432650933?fref=ts or https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-for-State-of-Jefferson/153506214844491?fref=ts .
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Political action committee forms to challenge State of Jefferson movement
- Elizabeth Larson
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