Campaign flyer flawed
on September 12, 2012
Seven members of the community listed in a campaign flyer for City Council candidate Bea Roberson as supporting Roberson said last week that they had not explicitly endorsed the candidate.
Roberson said she had done her best and, if the information was wrong, “It was not done with malice.”
Roberson has been a resident of Richmond since 1964, and this is the first time she has run for public office. In a previous interview with Richmond Confidential, she said she only decided to run in May.
Last week, campaign flyers for Roberson were mailed to Richmond residents. The mailings listed more than 80 elected officials, organizations and members of the community as supporting Roberson’s campaign.
Janie Holland, president of the Santa Fe Neighborhood Council, said she does not endorse candidates, while Alejandro Navarro, president of the Southwest Annex Neighborhood Council, said that he had received an invitation to attend Roberson’s official campaign event, but he did not endorse her. Both neighborhood council presidents were listed on the flyer.
Mike DeSimoni Sr., the chairman of the Channel Lumber Company, said he met with Roberson, but that he is a resident of Napa and did not endorse her.
Zee Handoush, who owns 7 Stars Holistic Health Center in Richmond said, “We’ve always been supportive of her work in the community. But in terms of endorsing her as a candidate for the Richmond City Council, I have not.”
Felix Hunziker, founder of the North & East Action Team, Stanly Anderson, president of the Marina Bay Neighborhood Council, and the Central Labor Council of Contra Costa County reaffirmed that they had endorsed Roberson.
Last week an email newsletter sent out by the Richmond Progressive Alliance said that the Richmond Police Officers Association had yet to conduct an interview with Roberson to endorse her as a candidate.
But at Roberson’s official campaign kickoff event, RPOA President Hector Esperaza was quoted saying, “She has our full support and we’re going to do everything we can to make that [her win] happen.”
Richmond Confidential reporters reached seven endorsers for council candidate Eduardo Martinez and six for Marilyn Langlois, and all of them reaffirmed their endorsements.
Roberson said she would correct the error.
“I am being honest as I can,” she said. “If someone is on there who says they didn’t endorse me, I will call each and every one of them and make sure they are not on the next one.”
18 Comments
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Anyone who’s ever met Bea knows she’s honest, straightforward, and has volunteered countless hours for our City. It’s unfortunate that this error occurred but it’s also a non-issue.
Bea is fair, honest, friendly, and, down to earth. She obviously has a sense of humor to want to be on this Council…*grin* She’s her own person and would be an asset to this Council.
She fits well with Bates, Booze and the Police/Firefighters unions-they seem to have the same ethical standards.
Indeed!…
Mike, I’m not sure you know what ethics or integrity are and your comment is small-minded. There are many good reasons this longtime Richmond resident was recently awarded the Distinguished Service award for volunteerism by our Mayor.
“Don’t you notice it, Brick? Don’t you notice a powerful and obnoxious odor of mendacity…?”
Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, by Tennessee Williams.
The lack of honesty in the endorsements is only the tip of the iceberg. Bea Roberson is a candidate who wants to join Bates and Booze to take the council back to the days of being unduly influenced by Chevron and other special interests. This is a critical time for Richmond. We have just had a huge Chevron fire which could have been a much worse disaster. The community needs to hold Chevron responsible for its negligence. This is not the time to put Chevron’s candidates on the council. Bea is also joining Bates and Booze in supporting Big Soda. If you think big corporate interests should run Richmond, you’ll love Bea Roberson, Gary Bell and Nat Bates. If you think the people who live in Richmond should determine Richmond’s future you will vote for the people’s candidates, Marilyn Langlois, Eduardo Martinez and Tom Butt. And of course, join Danny Glover and the American Academy of Pediatrics (your kid’s doctor) and Vote YES on N. Less Soda, More Sports Equals Healthy Children!
Jeff, I don’t understand why you need to lie to get people on your side and frankly I’m amazed at the lack of respect you show Ms. Roberson. She’s worked harder for this City than you ever have – all without pay.
Keep on spreading that negativity – people will see who you and the RPA really are.
I am not lying. Bea, Gary Bell and Nat Bates are the corporate candidates. Why not allow the voters to actually be aware of the polar opposite views that the corporate candidates bring as compared to Tom Butt, Marilyn Langlois and Eduardo Martinez. Bea has clearly joined the conservative corporate favoring Councilmembers Booze and Bates. it was clear in today’s council meeting and clear last Tuesday and clear all along. If you believe the best way to run the city is with major corporate influence in the decisions of the city councilmembers, then you will vote the corporate slate. If you want Richmond City Councilmembers to not be beholden to corporate interests you will vote for Marilyn, Eduardo and Tom. And join Danny Glover and the American Academy of Pediatrics (our kid’s doctors) YES on N! Less Soda, More Sports Equals Healthy Children.
Dr Ritterman,
Exactly how should the City of Richmond hold Chevron responsible for its negligence?
Extort money from them.
I have a better idea. Lets shut down the refinery completely. That will make sure that there will never be another accident.
Then we can all drive around in our electric cars powered by the abundance of green energy Richmond has created.
No, not by extortion, but by uniting the community behind a community benefits agreement. The Chevron fire cost the city in reputation, property values and in other ways. It’s a good time for Chevron to invest in the city to do some fence-mending. Ending their leases in Marina Bay was exactly the opposite of what we would like which is greater investment in Richmond.
Another CBA? What a unique opportunity for Jeff to save face with his progressive pals. You see, Jeff was instrumental in hammering out the last CBA with Chevron that brought $114M to Richmond but this made his pals flippin’ furious because under the terms of the deal they can’t levy any new taxes against Chevron for 15 long years. Hey, maybe *that’s* why they decided to mug our poor with the Sugar Tax?
Anyway, the talk about Chevron needing to mend fences is just a cover – under the new manager Nigel Hearne Chevron has been doing a great deal of outreach and grants in Richmond. Could they do more? Probably, and I believe that after this fire they will with no thanks to Jeff or his Regressive Alliance pals.
Mending fences just a cover? Excuse me, there was just a fire that almost killed 10 people. If you don’t think a much greater effort is needed than what Nigel was planning before the fire I think you are out of touch with what the folks in Richmond feel.
I don’t think Richmond residents are fine with having Chevron candidates (Bates, Bell, Roberson) on the city council deciding on how best to hold Chevron responsible for its negligence. I think Richmond residents want a city council which is independent of Chevron and other special interests and if they do they will vote for Marilyn Langlois, Eduardo Martinez and Tom Butt.
That’s very funny Jeff when you consider that the RPA itself is a special interest group and the candidates they get elected are beholden only to them.
If you want candidates who will listen to all their constituents vote for anyone except Butt, Langlois-Rine, and Martinez.
Liar, Liar, your refinery is on fire
No one is going drive miles to save a few pennys. The beverage industry will provide alternatives. What we need is more healthy food in these corner stores where food stamps would’nt be able buy the predominate junk now offered such as candy, chips and soda.
The local Black politicians such as Booze and Bates could really help their constituents by urging free city land and tax incentives to a healthy food chain to locate within central Richmond, rather than catering to Chevron and the Beverage industry.
Our society is becoming more tolerant, witness the wonderful success of Barack and Michelle (who I will vote for), so I wish the Pepsi Twins on City Council stop attempting to divide us.
Dennis Dalton
There were far too many false endorsements for it to have been accidental. Also, there was no mention of any support from Chevron. I am wondering where she is getting the funding for the slick mailers, posters, etc. Do we really want to elect someone whom we know from the get-go is dishonest?!
Every election cycle we see candidates who list endorsers who may not have endorsed. Some are legitimate oversights and some are out and out lies.
I can recall when Andres Soto ran for the City Council and he listed my union as an endorser when we were telling all of our members to vote for anyone but Andres. Since my signature (as Chair of our PAC) was required on all endorsements, I knew that this was not a simple error. He was called on this “error”, removed the endorsement from his web site but failed to acknowledge the “error” or apologize.
What is there about candidate Roberson that you see where you are so absolutely sure that she is evil and would lie about this? Considering that she’s a novice candidate and running her campaign pretty much on her own, why would it sound to you like this was a calculated lie and not a simple mistake?
And where do you get that Chevron is bankrolling her campaign? Do you know of some secret funds being transferred to her campaign? Do you know that she’s lied in her filings of her Form 460 campaign funding disclosures? If you do, then you have an obligation to bring this to the attention of the Grand Jury and the District Attorney. Otherwise, perhaps you should watch what you write and curb the unfounded allegations.