A group calling itself the “Committee for a Safer Santa Clarita” has sent a mailer to some SCV mailboxes titled “Santa Clarita City Council Official Republican Voter Guide” and advising recipients to vote for candidates Bob Spierer and Bob Kellar.
The mailer says that Kellar and Spierer are endorsed by state senators, assemblymembers, former Mayor JoAnne Darcy and “rank and file law enforcement.” A vote for Bob Kellar and Spierer will “keep Santa Clarita one of America’s safest cities,” the mailer says.
In response to the mailer, the “Friends of Laurie Ender” campaign has a released a new statement to the public, claiming that the mailer “falsely implies that the Republican Party supports Bob Spierer for City Council.”
The Ender campaign statement was sent to media outlets this afternoon. Ender campaign consultant Todd Blair says the “Safer Santa Clarita” mailer was sent to “thousands” of SCV mailboxes last week.
The campaign further alleges that the mailer may violate state law and that it was sent to Santa Clarita voters by “two downtown Los Angeles-based lawyers.”
The Ender Campaign statement is pasted below. I’ve asked Bob Spierer to respond to the allegations; his response is pasted below the Ender Campaign Statement.
###BEGIN STATEMENT###
Pro-Spierer mailer may violate state’s election code
Falsely claims Republican Party supports Spierer for city council
On March 20, 2008, a brochure claiming to be the “OFFICIAL REPUBLICAN VOTER GUIDE.” was mailed out to thousands of voters falsely implying that the Republican Party supports Bob Spierer for city council.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Republican Party does not support Bob Spierer and did not sanction the mailer.
In fact, the California Republican Assemby, an organization officially chartered by the Republican Party, has endorsed Mayor Bob Kellar and Parks Commissioner Laurie Ender.
Although the mailer has a Santa Clarita PO box as a return address, a check of documents on file with the city clerk’s office reveals it was sent out by two downtown Los Angeles-based lawyers.
For supporters of Bob Spierer to falsely claim that Spierer has the support of the Republican Party is not just wrong, attorneys are reviewing this mailer for possible violations of the California Election Code Sections 20000-20010, commonly known as the “Truth in Endorsements Law.”
Bob Spierer has talked and talked about ethics during this campaign. He now needs to walk the walk and be straight with the voters by denouncing the mailer and acknowledging that the claim he is supported by the Republican Party is false.
###END STATEMENT###
Bob Spierer Response
Thanks for the opportunity to comment. The mailer in question says “Bob Kellar and Bob Spierer are endorsed by the following Republican leaders….” It does not say that the Republican Party has endorsed us. Unfortunately, this late in the campaign is when we see negative attacks, and I will not be drawn into a mudslinging contest.
I am grateful for the tremendous support by Republicans including Councilwoman Laurene Weste, Senate Republican Caucus Chairman George Runner, Assemblywoman Sharon Runner, former Assembly Republican Caucus Chairman Tony Strickland, District Attorney Steve Cooley, Sheriff Lee Baca, and Republican leaders throughout Santa Clarita.
As an independent expenditure, neither I nor my campaign was involved in creating the mailer, but clearly there are many Republicans supporting my candidacy, and I appreciate that support.
Bob Spierer
###END STATEMENT###
The mailer is the second such mailer to arrive in Santa Clarita in recent weeks that endorses Bob Kellar. The first one was paid for by Councilmember Frank Ferry and said that Congressman Buck McKeon, the SCV’s highest elected Republican- endorsed Bob Kellar and Laurie Ender for City Council.