Whose Word? How Team Gallegos Manages Its Moneymaker – November 12, 2010
Note: On Friday, local newspapers received an e-mailed “letter to the editor” by District Attorney Paul Gallegos, or signed by him, anyway.
But as seen below, Gallegos was a minor player in crafting the epistle. The candidate’s handlers actually initiated the letter and carried it through to completion, with him signing off on their handiwork. That’s probably because he’s gotten into trouble when trying to write things on his own, opinion pieces which famously turned out to have been plagiarized by our District Attorney, the self-described HSU “professor” who never was.
Team Gallegos managed to submit a letter for publication with all previous drafts of the collaborative writing project still appended. The letter’s progression offers insight into how our DA’s braintrust manages their figurehead, and validates that he’s their bimbo/cash cow exactly as alleged by opponents during the campaign. The first e-mail message that got the ball rolling isn’t even addressed to Gallegos, who is a secondary figure to the political operators who are really at the wheel of the enterprise.
Note how Gallegos’ puppetmaster, the omnipresent Richard Salzman, spoonfeeds him reminders and guidance like a patient mother trying to cajole a child into eating his broccoli. Now we’ll all know that when Gallegos’ next “My Word” column comes out, it will have been ghosted by the non-elected “Evenson” under Salzman’s direction. At least the plagiarism will be consensual next time.
Why was the final letter – a political document which Salzman says is intended to help with fundraising – sent from a taxpayer-provided County of Humboldt e-mail address? Gallegos’ skeptics have long objected to the deep politicization of the DA’s Office. How much time and resources are taken up with these and other purely political tasks, including the photo shoots of staff that were used in the campaign?
The final product, which has six people’s fingerprints on it yet is presented as Gallegos’ thoughts, was rushed out to help Salzman replenish the machine’s campaign coffers. That, plus Gallegos’ trademark inattentive half-involvement in everything he does, explains the sloppy inclusion of the earlier drafts. The naked gold rush behind the letter also gives the lie to all the usual high-minded ideals invoked by our Surfin’ DA in the final release.
It’s impossible not to observe the Gallegos/Salzman machine and wonder, again and again, why so many individuals who – ostensibly, anyway – aspire to idealism and social progress would sign on with such a manifestly incapable personage. Especially when there have been other genuinely competent and diligent professionals to choose from.
(Even his inner circle has to be exasperated with the incompetent boob they’re trying to shepherd through life. They polished up the high-flown prose for him to ship out, and he bungled even that. You can almost hear Salzman now: “Paul, you were supposed to delete all those drafts before you gave it to Michele!” That’s kind of funny. What isn’t funny is that this is the great legal mind responsible for public safety in Humboldt.)
But remember that there are any number of people whose livelihoods have come to depend not only on their proximity to and influence over our malleable Distrct Attorney, but on his well-documented asleep-at-the-wheel criminal prosecution style as well.
We’ve edited the text string that was sent us in three ways:
• Reversed the message sequence to put it back in chronological order (so you don’t have to read up from the bottom).
• Redacted private e-mail addresses.
• Added a headline to each successive e-mail message. – Ed.
A letter is born
Begin forwarded message:
From: Elizabeth Conner <*****@humboldt1.com>
Date: November 9, 2010 7:28:43 PM PST
To: Natalynne Delapp <*****@gmail.com>
Cc: Richard Salzman <*****@gmail.com>, Alison Sterling Nichols <*****@gmail.com>, John Regan <*****@smartcampaignsca.com>, Michael Evenson <*****@igc.org>
Subject: letter to editor
Hey,
Just thinking that it would be great for Paul to write a letter to editor ASAP, along the lines of:
[VERY ROUGH OUTLINE, PLEASE EDIT AND REFINE, though it should be kept short and not refer to outcome of the race]
“Although the final election results are not yet known for certain, I want to thank all my campaign volunteers, supporters and staff for their hard work and belief in the concept that everyone is equal before the law and that both the accused and accusers have rights. Most of all, thank you to those who voted for me and expressed your confidence in me and our team [OR A VALUE]. (and to all who voted???) Thank you, Paul Gallegos, DA, Humco”
It should be sent to all local print and web media.
After the election results are known, Paul could write a more substantive My Word.
Cheers,
Elizabeth
“Don’t mourn, organize!” – Mother Jones
‘Make it easier for me to raise money’
From: Richard Salzman <*****@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Nov 2010 15:30:37 -0800
To: Paul Gallegos<*****@yahoo.com>; Natalynne DeLapp<*****@gmail.com>
Subject: Fwd: letter to editor
Can we please get this letter submitted in by Friday morning, so that it will be in next week’s weeklies?
Remember that this is just the BEFORE, final results letter and that Evenson is going to work with you on a Guest Editorial / My Word, to follow the final results. But getting this out now will make it easier for me to raise money.
——
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:
This communication constitutes an electronic communication within the meaning of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC 2510, and its disclosure is strictly limited to the recipient intended by the sender of this message. This communication may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use of the intended recipient and receipt by anyone other than the intended recipient does not constitute a loss of the confidential or privileged nature of the communications. Any review or distribution by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient please contact the sender by return electronic mail and delete all copies of this communication.
Paul’s ideas (for others to write up for him)
Humboldt's Top Cop – The Writin' DA... or not.
On Nov 12, 2010, at 7:50 AM, Paul V. Gallegos wrote:
Team should be Humboldt District Attorneys Office. And then it can go out thank you all for your work. It would be nice to add that while politics tend to polarize now it is time to get back our shared values and continue our work of making humboldt county safe, secure and prosperous for all people.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
Whatever, Paul – c’mon, let’s go!
On Fri, Nov 12, 2010 at 9:22 AM, Richard Salzman <*****@gmail.com> wrote:
that would be fine, but it really should go out today. do you need more help getting it finalized?
——
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:
This communication constitutes an electronic communication within the meaning of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC 2510, and its disclosure is strictly limited to the recipient intended by the sender of this message. This communication may contain confidential and privileged material for the sole use of the intended recipient and receipt by anyone other than the intended recipient does not constitute a loss of the confidential or privileged nature of the communications. Any review or distribution by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient please contact the sender by return electronic mail and delete all copies of this communication.
One hour, three minutes later
From: Natalynne DeLapp <*****@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 2010 10:25:57 -0800
To: Richard Salzman<*****@gmail.com>
Cc: <*****@yahoo.com>; Michael Evenson<*****@igc.org>; Conrad Gregory<*****@gmail.com>; Alison Sterling Nichols<*****@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: letter to editor
Here is my version. Any suggestions comments, tweaks?
To the People of Humboldt County,
Although the final election results are not yet known for certain, I want to say thank you to those who voted for me and to those who gave so much of their time, energy and resources to this election season including the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office, my campaign volunteers, supporters and staff for their hard work and belief in the concept that everyone is equal before the law. I appreciate all the support I have received from around the county.
While politics tend to polarize now it is time to get back our shared values and continue our work of making Humboldt County safe, secure and prosperous for all people.
Thank you for you your confidence in me and our District Attorney’s Office, and I look forward to continuing to serve the People of this county.
Sincerely,
Paul V. Gallegos,
District Attorney Humboldt County
Mikey likes it!
On Fri, Nov 12, 2010 at 10:24 AM, Paul V. Gallegos <*****@yahoo.com> wrote:
Thank you. It is great.
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
‘Our shared values’ – my campaign debt
From: “Shoshani, Michele” <MShoshani@co.humboldt.ca.us>
Date: November 12, 2010 11:10:28 AM PST
To: <letters@times-standard.com>, <letters@northcoastjournal.com>, <editor@arcataeye.com>, <news@humboldtbeacon.com>, <editor@redwoodtimes.com>, <indie@wavecable.com>, <thejack@humboldt.edu>, <news@mckinleyvillepress.com>
Cc: “Gallegos, Paul” <PGallegos@co.humboldt.ca.us>
Subject: FW: letter to editor
To the People of Humboldt County,
I want to say thank you to those who voted for me and to those who gave so much of their time, energy and resources to this election season, including the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office, my campaign volunteers, supporters and staff for their hard work and dedication. I appreciate all the support I have received from around the county.
While politics tend to polarize, now it is time to get back our shared values, and continue making Humboldt County safe, secure and prosperous for All people.
Thank you for you your confidence in me and our District Attorney’s Office, and I look forward to continuing to serve the People of this county.
Sincerely,
Paul V. Gallegos,
District Attorney Humboldt County
