NCJ - Another Salzman alias?

Another Salzman alias?
Plus: Gallegos, Kerrigan, others react to phony e-mail campaign

by HANK SIMS & HELEN SANDERSON

Reaction around the county was swift to the news that Richard Salzman, the founder of the Alliance for Ethical Business and a political campaigner for a number of causes associated with Humboldt County's progressive movement, had been writing letters to local newspapers under false names.

Meanwhile, District Attorney Paul Gallegos acknowledged that the week before the Journal's story appeared ("Web of lies," Sept. 1), he had received a complaint from a citizen alleging that Salzman was sending her abusive e-mails under a false name.

"Basically, she just told me that this might be happening," he said. "I explained that I didn't believe it, and I guess we're going to find out."

However, Gallegos said that he was reserving judgment on this allegation, as well as the particulars of the Journal's story last week, until he had a chance to speak to Salzman. On Tuesday, he said that he had not yet been able to have that conversation with the man who has been his top fundraiser and political advisor.

In last week's article, the Journal revealed that Salzman had sent fake letters to the editor of local newspapers under at least two false names: "R. Trent Williams," a pseudonym, and "Dick Wyatt," an actual resident of Fortuna who later disclaimed the contents of a letter to the editor that appeared above his name. (Posing as another person in a letter to the editor is a punishable misdemeanor under California law.)

The Journal also determined that it had received false letters from an "R. Johnson," purportedly a Eureka resident. The letters praised former Assistant District Attorney Tim Stoen and castigated the Humboldt Taxpayers' League for failing to disclose campaign contributions for its efforts in opposing Measure L, a failed countywide ballot initiative that would have raised the local sales tax.

The address given in the "R. Johnson" letters was the true home of Ruth Johnson, a 93-year-old Eureka woman, whose caregiver emphatically denied that she would, or would be able to, write letters to the editor.

Though the "R. Johnson" letters could not be definitively traced to Salzman in the way that the "R. Trent Williams" and "Dick Wyatt" letters were, there is new evidence that they were at least sent by someone with Salzman's particular political proclivities.

After the story appeared last week, the Journal learned that the same "R. Johnson" had written letters to private individuals in the area -- in one case apparently acting as something of an agent provocateur in next year's race for the Fifth District supervisor's seat currently held by Jill Geist.

Last June, Geist, a former Salzman ally, raised his ire by sitting at a table with former Deputy District Attorney Allison Jackson during a fundraising event for Rep. Mike Thompson. (Jackson, a Gallegos critic and supporter of Deputy DA Worth Dikeman, was fired by Gallegos after the recall election last year.) Shortly after the fundraiser, bumper stickers reading "Dump Geist" began appearing in area mailboxes, their provenance unclear.

Then, on July 1, McKinleyville resident Mike Harvey -- a former candidate for county supervisor and chair of the local chapter of the Republican Party -- received an e-mail from "Randy Johnson" urging him to run against Geist.

The e-mail came from the same address as letters signed "R. Johnson" received by the Journal -- rhjohnsoneureka@hotmail.com. Unlike the other "R. Johnson" e-mails, the writer in this case purported to be a Republican eager to see a challenge to Geist from the right.

"Are you ready to run again?" the letter to Harvey asks. "If not, who is there that understands the need for jobs in this county that will run in the 5th? It sounds to me like the left is eating their own with Geist so we should take advantage of the situation!"

Reached Tuesday, Geist said that Salzman's reaction against her attendance at a function with Jackson -- a registered Democrat -- was typical of a "you're either with us or you're against us" approach to political difference.

"I attended a political fundraiser for Mike Thompson," Geist said. "This is a man who embodies the ability to work in a non-partisan manner."

Gallegos said that he was not yet convinced of the facts of what Salzman had done, and that there could be a pending "investigation" (he did not specify what sort of investigation, or who would be carrying it out.)

"I'm going to reserve judgment at this time," he said. "I'll always consider him a friend, so, you know -- you move forward. Sometimes friends make mistakes."

However, Gallegos did roundly condemn the practice of writing to newspapers under a false name.

"I would not do that," he said. "I would not condone someone doing it. I would be very unhappy with someone doing it on my behalf, if it was done on my behalf. I know it's a common practice, but it doesn't make me happy, that's for sure."

Eureka City Councilmember Chris Kerrigan, who hired Salzman to work on his reelection campaign last year, said that he had talked to Salzman after the Journal's story appeared. Kerrigan said that Salzman called to apologize -- rightly so, in the councilmember's opinion.

"It was very brief -- because it's a legal matter, he wasn't able to say a whole lot," Kerrigan said. "I hope Richard realizes that what he did was wrong."

Kerrigan took exception with the letter defending Salzman written by the chairperson of his reelection campaign, Andrea Davis (see "Letters," p. 3).

"She's entitled to her own opinion, but I don't fault the Journal for covering a local story," he said. "That's the intent of a local newspaper. I would agree that there are things that are much more important around the world, but that doesn't excuse the fact that his actions were wrong and unacceptable."

Salzman did not return e-mail and phone messages last week.