Letters to the editor: Bennett must look in mirror; wrong to believe Fox
Bennett should look at his donors
Re: Steve Bennett and Linda Parks’ March 13 guest column, “Keep law limiting contributions”:
In their co-penned guest column, Assemblyman Steve Bennett and former Supervisor Linda Parks condemn a proposal by Supervisors Jeff Gorell and Janice Parvin to eliminate the county’s campaign finance ordinance which limits campaign contributions to $750 in order to match the state’s campaign limit of $5,500. Bennett and Parks claim that the smaller limit empowers citizens voices and helps to stave off the influence of big money donors on elections.
I performed a public records search of Assemblyman Bennett’s campaign donors from the most recent election and found that he received huge donations of $4,900 each from no less than five of the 18 chapters of the Govern For California network (GFC).
GFC is primarily financed by a handful of Bay Area venture capitalists, tech executives and philanthropists and characterizes its 18 chapters as “force multipliers” that amplify the influence of its donors on state politics and government.
While Govern For California chapters received contributions from nearly 250 donors this last election, state campaign finance records show that nearly two-thirds of all the money raised came from just 20 people — donors who can, and often do, make separate maximum allowable contributions to the same candidates the chapters are supporting.
Their barely legal scheme (my opinion) was given permission to operate on condition that the GFC Statewide Committee and all local chapters are controlled by different individuals who independently direct and control the entities’ respective contributions, yet all five contributions from the various chapters coincidentally dropped into his campaign account on the exact same day.
So, if Assemblyman Bennett is going to claim the high road, he may want to look in the mirror first, because who he’s accepting donations from seems to be contrary to the spirit of the idea of having contribution limitations.
Alan Garner, Camarillo
Misplaced belief in Fox News
Re: Stuart Wing’s March 10 letter, “Revoke Fox’s broadcast license” and William Neel’s March 14 letter, “Fox News shouldn’t be canceled”:
Those of us who watched events at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, saw hours of violence, rioting, and disregard for the personal safety of those defending the building. It would be difficult not to recognize the unfolding of an insurrection.
Those watching the next year’s Congressional hearings on the events of that day would be reminded of their shock and dismay that Donald Trump did nothing. They would also not be watching those hearings on Fox because the network supporting the former president did not cover the most newsworthy event since Jan. 6 itself.
Those who drive with little regard for the rules of safety have their driver licenses revoked. Those who preach blasphemy are defrocked. That is not cancel culture. That is protection of the public and the reason licenses are required. The Fox “news” summary aired by an admitted liar, Tucker Carlson, is as dangerously misleading as those other “hoaxes” claimed by the lying ex-president.
In his misplaced belief in the verity of Fox “News” Mr. Neel has, no doubt inadvertently, proved Mr. Wing’s point.
Libby Treadwell, Ojai
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Letters: Bennett must look in mirror; wrong to believe Fox
