It All Depends On Your Definition Of "Donation"

Humboldt County California is having an election in November for the Fourth District Board Of Supervisors, pitting Nancy Flemming, the stalking horse for billionaire developer Rob Arkley, against 20-year Republican incumbent Bonnie Neely, who is supported by those by those opposed to Mr. Arkley's plan to cover longstanding highly toxic pollution with dirt and build a Home Despot on top of it.

Monday night, October 2nd, there was a debate of sorts between the two candidates. On one key issue, here's how the two local excuses for newspapers handled it:

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On the issue of campaign finance, both candidates fielded questions about who is backing their campaigns.

Neely responded to questions about the $25,000 she received from the Blue Lake Rancheria, and the influence some feel that may buy.

She said she was both pleased and surprised by the group's support.

"They endorsed me because they thought I had a backbone and I was honest," she said.

Flemming took a question about her discarded promise from the primary to limit donations to $500, which she said she had to disregard when her opponent wouldn't take the same pledge. She said she wished she could have kept to that limit.

"This election shouldn't be about money," she said.

Eureka Times-Standard, October 3, 2006

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One caller questioned Neely on a $25,000 campaign contribution from the Blue Lake Rancheria, which was reported to be the single largest political donation in the county's history.

Neely said she was surprised and proud to get the endorsement, which she said was the first ever by the tribe for a political candidate.

"They said they endorsed me because I have a backbone and I was honest," Neely said.

On the issue of campaign contributions, Neely called Flemming out on what she called a "broken promise" to limit her campaign contributions to less than $500.

Although Flemming did limit her contributions for the primary election, she removed that limit the night of the primary to be able to better compete with Neely and her large donations.

Eureka Reporter, October 3, 2006
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So, similar articles, right?

The Times-Standard proclaims itself to be the paper of, "Credibility, Truth, Compassion".

The Eureka Reporter declares itself to be "fair, balanced and independent".

The Eureka Reporter, by the way, is owned by billionaire developer Rob Arkley.


But what's missing from both articles is the fact that, during the debate that actually took place, the issue came up in the context of Nancy Flemming, during the Primary--a time when she was supposedly taking donations of no more than $500.00--sold some of her paintings to raise funds for her campaign. Flemming refused to disclose the selling price of those paintings, and further refused to reveal who they were sold to.

So much for a $500.00 limit. THAT is what Flemming was asked about. THAT is what Neely was referring to in her response. But you wouldn't know that from reading either of the two main local birdcage liners.

So much for reporting of the news with credibility, truth, fairness or balance. Tweedle Dee, Tweedle Dumb--Dumb being what the major local newspapers must think their readers are.

And for those who watched the debate that actually took place: Flemming never answered the question, and the triplet reporters (Times-Standard, Eureka Reporter, and North Coast Journal) never followed up to get a meaningful answer.

TLC