Guest Commentary
by Farrah Douglas
When I announced my candidacy for the 76th State Assembly, I knew I was going to have a tough race. But I was not prepared for the level of bullying, intimidation, and dishonesty that I have experienced as I fight to represent our community in Sacramento. The most recent example is the anonymous – and cowardly – post on San Diego Rostra.
These rumors, anonymous packages, and bogus investigations circulated by the Sherry Hodges campaign will not deter me.
Hodges has never owned a business, nor had the responsibilities of overseeing a large city with a multi-million dollar budget like I do. I have built a business with my husband and yes, at times, we’ve faced economic challenges. The kind of economic challenges any small business owner has had to deal with in this recent great recession. It may be that experience that most qualifies me to represent the 76th District in Sacramento because I know first-hand what government is doing to our economy and I know how their policies are destroying small businesses. This is why our most respected North County leaders support my candidacy.
Anonymous packages full of conspiratorial theories and baseless allegations have been sent to Sacramento legislators and interest groups, the media, and San Diego activists and political leaders. The North County Times and the U-T San Diego did extensive research and both papers determined that there was nothing of value to report. Since mainstream publications were unwilling to spew this garbage, they turned to San Diego Rostra, which allowed them to make these accusations from a shroud of anonymity.
1) The anonymous blogger claims I am being investigated by the FPPC. False. A frivolous complaint was filed for the sole purpose of allowing Hodges’ allies to whisper to community leaders that I am being investigated. See FPPC letter.
2) The anonymous blogger claims that our business was evicted for failure to pay rent. False. During the recession, our location of 20 years was no longer affordable so we renegotiated our lease and moved to a new location. See attorney letter.
3) The anonymous blogger alleges unpaid credit card debts. False. During the recession, we had to rely on credit to help weather the storm and meet our business obligations. Those were difficult times for us, and so many other small business owners; however, we worked out an arrangement with the banks and have been making payments without any delinquencies.
4) The anonymous blogger claims that our home was foreclosed on and offered for sale twice. False. Like millions of American families, we found our dream home upside down with high interest rates that were no longer affordable while our business struggled. We went through a very common practice of a loan modification and have been current ever since. See attorney letter.
5) The anonymous blogger accuses me of having a conflict of interest on the City Council regarding the 26 acres of property off Cannon Road. False. See letter from City Attorney.
I am proud to have the support of Assemblyman Martin Garrick, Carlsbad Mayor Matt Hall, former Lincoln Club Chairman Tom Sudberry, Supervisor Pam Slater-Price, all five North County mayors, and my colleagues on the Carlsbad City Council. These are the leaders who know me and have worked with me over the years and they have chosen me as the best candidate to serve our community in the State Assembly.
It is unfortunate that Sherry Hodges and her friends have resorted to the politics of personal destruction rather than campaign on the issues and experience. My campaign, however, will continue to be about finding solutions to the problems facing our state, our families and our businesses and finding ways to get our economy moving again.
# # #
Douglas is member of the Carlsbad City Council and a candidate for the 76th Assembly District.