Posted by: Kim_Hamilton on 10/08/2010 11:36 PM
Updated by: thepinetree on 10/11/2010 08:10 AM
Expires: 01/01/2015 12:00 AM
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Letter to the Editor~by Darren Spellman
I offer my apologies. I would like to express my regrets if I offended or disappointed any constituents of District 5 regarding the scheduled debate in Copperopolis on Wednesday 10 /13/2010. That was certainly not my intention. I am not a politician. I am a taxpayer, a husband, a father and friend, who wants the best for his community. I have grown frustrated with a political process nationwide that has become so corrupt that the taxpayers never really have an opportunity to ask questions, voice concerns or even vent criticism of their elected officials and candidates for office in an open public forum. The .....
same carefully scripted questions presented over and over again to candidates by moderators who have clearly chosen one side over the other are disingenuous at best. I simply wanted to allow the good people of Copperopolis to ask ANY questions they wished of both candidates. What ensued was beyond my control and the "moderator" of the event was not inclined to intervene.
Three of the last 4 debates were questionable at best. In the spring the chamber held a debate in which the Chamber President Mark Luster was the moderator. As President of Sierra Pacific Industries a company that endorses my opponent and contributed $750.00 to his campaign, he should not have agreed to participate. When I attended the Valley Springs News debate, the moderator was Nick Baptista who is a “quiet” supporter of Thomas, whose partner in the paper; Vip Hale (a District 2 resident) is a very vocal supporter of Thomas to the extent that campaign "get together parties" have been held in the newspaper's office.
When I arrived in Copperopolis for the debate on Wednesday, my campaign manager noted Russ Thomas, Mike McDaniel and another gentleman huddled in the corner having a private conversation that lasted several minutes. The "man" passed by without as much as an introduction. He then stepped up to the podium to moderate. Mark Gerton is a Director, for the Chamber of Commerce and a public supporter of Russ Thomas whose 32 sq ft campaign sign, is prominently displayed in his front yard.
I am new to the political process but I still know that this is wrong. 3 out of 4 moderators are public supporters of my opponent. What are the odds? A moderator's job is to present questions, moderate conversations and intervene when necessary. How could any candidate opposing Russ Thomas expect fair and impartial treatment during a debate when the moderator admittedly supports the incumbent?
My issue was with the process. I felt it was offensive to me as a candidate and more importantly to the constituents, for these venues to be presented as fair and impartial debates when that is virtually impossible. I challenged the process and I do not regret that. I did it because the voters have a right to real debates, with real questions and real answers. They deserve a process in which the sponsor, the moderator and the candidates can offer a venue that is fair to the participants and more importantly the public. Anything short of that is a farce and I want no part of that.
I hope the voters can understand that changing long standing policies and systems, which are corrupt and ineffective, is never easy.
Challenging the system is how our great country was founded. It may be difficult, but I am willing to fight that fight, every day, on any issue, for the next four years.
With my most sincere respect, Darren Spellman
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