Response to ‘Politics of Ethics’

It has been a true privilege to run for office and meet — and learn from — so many people who care so much about our community. I’ve enjoyed knocking on doors every day and have been lucky to be in dozens of living rooms and back yards for honest conversations in neighborhood meet-and-greets.

It is hard to take on the establishment; most of the endorsements my opponent boasts of, including that of the Democratic Party, were made long before I even entered the race, not affording me or anyone else the chance to interview. That’s the power of incumbency: the status quo.

I had about 50 candid conversations about whether I should run before I jumped into the race. One was with my friend Lee Heller. Lee is now a major funder of the shameful PAC that is now fueling my opponent’s candidacy, along with cannabis, Chumash, oil, and other corporate interests. It’s unfortunate that Lee is now misrepresenting that private conversation we had with assertions that, frankly, don’t make any sense. I’m equally surprised and disappointed to see the Independent publish her comments without questioning them or even asking me for a response.

Is that the way our free press works? Anyone, especially those with a clear motive to distort, can put words in another person’s mouth and it gets published?

As voters, and as readers of the Independent that I grew up admiring, we deserve better. When I see something that’s not fair — a process, policy or practice that lacks integrity — I speak up and try to change it. That’s why I’m running. www.cappsforsupervisor.com