2/23/04
Children Better Off
With Gallegos As DA
Dear Editor,
As a second-grade teacher, I am deeply concerned with children’s safety in our community. My children and yours are better protected now, with Paul Gallegos as district attorney, than they have ever been before.
The facts on crime are that he has filed nearly 8,000 cases in his first year in office, a record-high number. Within this context, he has increased felony prosecutions by 15 percent and has obtained 366 convictions for domestic abuse alone, a 17 percent increase over the 2002 figure. Paul Gallegos is tough on crime.
False arguments to the contrary are merely a cover for Pacific Lumber’s attempt to buy its way out of being one of those 8,000 defendants.
According to official state documents, PL and its dependent contractors have contributed 94 percent of the $220,000 raised by the recall committee. Conversely, more than 3,000 Humboldt County residents have contributed personally to support Paul Gallegos.
It is an insult to all who live, work and vote in Humboldt County that this travesty of justice – spearheaded by an outside agitator hired by PL to, in his own words, “take him (Gallegos) out” – has been given any play whatsoever.
There is no ... deplorable action (that Safety Yes! spokesman Rob Flanigan) will not take in pursuit of his goal. Surely we – especially including the many honorable and hard-working employees of Pacific Lumber – are too smart to be taken in by this ruthless corporate power grab, and by the distorted arguments put forth by its hired guns.
Humboldt folks are a tough and fearless group. We will stand up for America’s democratic principles on March 2 by soundly rejecting the baseless Measure F recall. We will search our hearts and think clearly: Then we will vote for America and for democracy by voting no on Measure F.
Patrick Riggs
Stafford
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