Candidate Mary Harris sent an email message to our "Rio Linda Net" email list, with the subject "Lighten up..." In that message she made light of her non-compliance with the election codes and called attention to a word I misspelled in a previous message, closing by declaring that she was "Just having fun". My response to her message, stipulating to my error, is included in the correspondence thread repeated below.

In retrospect, the issue is not one to be "lightened up". Our election laws are serious ones that can and should be used by the voters to evaluate the performance of candidates and office holders.  This gives us an opportunity to judge how thorough and exact candidates would be if elected to represent us. Candidates who are "Just having fun" should do it somewhere else, certainly not representing me as an elected office holder.

When anyone takes out papers to run for office, that person is expected to follow the laws covering the election. The Political Reform Act was enacted to give voters the opportunity to monitor the fairness of the political practices of candidates and office holders. Thus was created the FPPC, who enforces these laws.

Candidates Harris and Hood did not comply with Government Code §84206(c) which requires them to revoke their short form campaign statement and notify opponents, the Secretary of State, and the County within 48 hours of receiving or expending $1000. Instead, they notified their opponents after eight days; the County after 15 days and the State after 15 days. This is a serious violation that could place the election itself in question.

In their original financial disclosure filing on October 7, Harris and Hood reported a total of $1700 in contributions received as of September 30, yet they did not identify the source of $400 in contributions of $100 or more. I demanded the information, as it is to be made available to the public; I received no response to my demand for the information.

Responding to the notification from the County, they filed an amendment on October 30 identifying the contributor of the $400.

The Harris and Hood October 7 filing reported unpaid expenses of $460 as of September 30, yet the October 7 summary page filed with their report showed $560.  Their October 30 amendment identifies $460 as the correct amount.

All trace of the $460 unpaid expenses has "vanished" from their October 24 filing covering the reporting period that started on October 1; no entry showing the retirement of that debt was included. Has the $460 been "forgiven" by the creditor, making the creditor a contributor? What happened to the $460?

In addition to the non-compliance with the 48 hour notification law described above, omissions and misstatements on Harris and Hood's filings, including the amendment, do not bode well for their ability to understand and follow very simple instructions, even those on the face of the forms themselves.  For example, their disclosure of accrued expenses, even as amended, contains an error that raises a question about their understanding of simple finances. They don't seem to know the difference between accrued expenses (debt) and current payments. See part 5.

Harris and Hood have not followed the law, and they now excuse that with a "Just having fun" statement.

Jay O'Brien
October 30, 2002

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-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RL] Water District Issues
Date: Sat, 26 Oct 2002 15:02:32 -0700
From: Jay O'Brien <jayobrien@att.net>
To: Rio Linda Elverta Mailing List <riolinda@vrx.net>

Further review of the additional information filed by Water Board Candidates Harris and Hood on October 24 shows:

-The source of $400 in contributions is still not divulged. Who  are the undisclosed contributors?

-The $560 previously shown as debt (or was it really $460?) has vansihed without explanation. How can this be?

The Campaign Disclosure statements as filed are not credible.

Jay

This message is from Candidate Mary Harris:
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [RL] Lighten up...
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 01:18:30 -0700
From: "Mary Harris"
To: "Rio Linda/Elverta" <riolinda@vrx.net>

Jay,

Thank you for calling this to our attention...  I guess it was a little difficult to see past all that garbage that was flying around.  I will try harder next time to get it right until you are completely satisfied.

PS. I noticed that one of the words in the letter you posted to this net was misspelled.  Please identify the errors that were created by you...

Just having fun... and Mary Harris said that!
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-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [RL] Lighten up...
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 15:48:09 -0800
From: Jay O'Brien <jayobrien@att.net>
To: Rio Linda Elverta Mailing List <riolinda@vrx.net>

Mary,

You are right, I certainly did misspell "vanished".

Thank you for calling my error to my attention. I really goofed on that one. I'll try to do better in the future.

Jay