Lake County voters who live in county supervisorial District 5 have received a paid slate mailer this week that contains misleading information. The title of the mailer is “Voter Information Guide for

Democrats for the June 3 Primary Election.”

The Lake County Democratic Central Committee and all three of its chartered clubs have officially endorsed Robert Stark for District 5 county supervisor.

If voters take the time to read the fine print on this mailer, they will learn that this is a paid slate mailer, meaning candidates and campaigns make payments to this company to add their names to the slate mailer.

The mailer's fine print reads, "Appearance in this mailer does not necessarily imply endorsement by others appearing in this mailer, nor does it imply endorsement of or opposition to any issues set forth in this mailer." It also says the mailer was "not paid for or authorized by candidates not designated by an asterisk *." If voters continue to read the mailer, they will find that none of the Democratic candidates listed paid to be on this mailer.

An asterisk * appears by District 5 Candidate Rob Brown's name. He paid to be on this mailer, implying wrongly that he is endorsed by the Democratic Party and has the personal endorsements of the Democratic candidates listed on the mailer.

The mailer also has recommendations for the two initiatives that will be on the June ballot. It recommends a NO vote on 98 and a YES vote on 99.

Those are the official recommendations of the California Democratic Party.

In the May 27 interview with the online news service www.lakeconews.com, candidate Brown is quoted as saying, “I have consistently opposed eminent domain and I support 98 and oppose 99.”

http://lakeconews.com/content/view/4337/764/

Those are the official positions of the California Republican Party.

http://www.cagop.org/index.cfm/june_ballot_propositions.htm

This same company put out a similar mailer in November of 2006 that featured our Democratic Senator from California, Dianne Feinstein, and ballot recommendations opposing propositions 86 and 87, the oil excise tax and cigarette tax initiatives.

Sen. Feinstein firmly supported those initiatives and decried this misleading mailer and the sleazy tactics employed therein via a press release from her office.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20061104/ai_n16829506

The company that put out this mailer is called Voter Information Guide. It is owned by Larry E. Levine. It also has a private consulting business called: Larry Levine and Associates, located at 13701 Riverside Dr., Ste. 604, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423, 818-906-8747. The company is listed on the American Association of Political Consultants membership roster.

A pre-election campaign filing deadline for reporting expenditures ended on May 22.

http://www.fppc.ca.gov/filingschedules/2008/June2008/localcan-measjune3.pdf

Campaign expenditures and donations are public information. A political party or a candidate's campaign expenditures and donations are public record available to any citizen who requests them from the County Registrar of Voters.

An informed electorate is critical in order to ensure that our democracy thrives. Vote on June 3 and let your voice be heard.

Wanda Harris is chair of the Lake County Democratic Central Committee. She lives in Hidden Valley.

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