I stand by the letter because everything in it is accurate. I retracted the letter because I panicked during my conversation with Hank. As I told him, I am a full time Nursing Student in my first semester of studies. I don’t have time for this stuff. Though it was important to me to write a quick letter to the editor regarding Ms. Jackson’s false endorsements, I was not ready for the immediate pressure I began to feel building inside me once Hank called. Though I was angry with Ms. Jackson – and still am, for using my name inappropriately in her campaign, I could feel the distraction of this potential maelstrom taking me away from my school work. I need to study and not be talking about the DA race.

More importantly and personnaly, while taking to Mr. Sims, I began to recall the last time I dealt with a North Coast Journal Reporter. She was a young woman who wanted to talk about the murder of my daughter in 1994. This woman would have been around my daughter’s age if Amber was still alive. These sad memories returned while taking to Hank. I could feel my panic levels continue to increase. I felt like I could not allow these dredged memories to distract me from my school. Consequently, I retracted the letter.

While writing this response, I realize that I must go forward and open this Pandora’s Box. The letter presented to Mr. Sims at the North Coast Journal today is accurate and I will call his tomorrow to request, once again, that the letter regarding the false endorsements be printed. It is the right thing to do.

Jackson lies about yet another endorsement

[Letter from Francine Slaughter Schulman to the Times-Standardand North Coast Journal.]

I want to report another false Allison Jackson endorsement. An advertisement in both the Times-Standard and the North Coast Journalincorrectly and inappropriately listed me as an endorser of Ms. Jackson. The false ad may have also been included in other local papers.

Not only do I not endorse Ms. Jackson at this time, I specifically told Ms Jackson, with her campaign manager present and with several days before the ad was published, that I was not prepared to endorse her in the race against Paul Gallegos for the position of District Attorney. Consequently, I was shocked, disappointed and remain upset that Ms. Jackson would have the audacity to put my name on an advertised list without my permission. Because of my history as a victim of crime, she should be doubly ashamed of herself. Then there’s the question: How many others on the list have not endorsed her? Unfortunately the damage has already been done. Ms. Jackson let this ad be published with full knowledge of my position. This is not the type of leadership I want in my District Attorney.

While looking into this issue of false endorsements using the same papers that ran Ms. Jackson’s current false ad, I was reminded about a similar endorsement debacle involving Allison Jackson and Betty Chin during the primary DA elections [see Jackson blows it with Betty]. At that time, it was the wonderful Ms. Chin who was erroneously listed as a Jackson endorser. When Ms. Chin asked for her name to be removed, Ms. Jackson bizarrely tried to cover it up by claiming that Ms. Chin was somehow politically harassed into removing her name, which proved untrue. “Cover up” is not a term I want to use when describing my District Attorney.

Although it is very close to election time, I request Allison Jackson be required from this point forward to specifically confirm that the people she features in her ads are actual supporters and not just passing acquaintances. I want my District Attorney to base decisions on evidence, not convenience. I want my District Attorney to be a truth seeker. I want my District Attorney to be a fair-minded leader whose ends do not justify the means. I want my District Attorney to not prey upon the innocent.

There’s alot of talk of negative campaigning – often directed at anyone who points out his inadequacies.

It’s time for this to end.

I wonder if his legend isn’t outsized for his actual capabilities. Maybe he just talks a good game to someone as malleable and manipulable as our good DA.

Two things: 1. I never heard of Karl Rove or David Axelrod sticking stickers on parking meters, or shitting on their enemies via anonymous letters and blog posts. That’s a wanker errand if there ever was one. 2. If he’s so good why isn’t he in Sacramento working for some high-powered Democrat and making real money?

What a strange cocktail Richard Salzman is – high-flown idealism in his public utterances with all kinds of petty political dirty tricks on the side. What does he really stand for? Stomping your way to the peacable kingdom?

And what does it say about our District Attorney that he has this piece of work as his Senior Campaign Advisor? It’s a fair question.