I would like to respond to Mary Becker”s column in Northern Lights, “Credibility in Lake County,” dated Sept. 18.
Becker has come out to openly question my personal credibility after admittedly meeting with me only once, briefly. She does not know me and has made no attempt to contact me to learn my position. She has accused me of trading an endorsement for a job.
Through a single meeting she determined that my credibility is in question, because I chose to support a political candidate that is not her choice.
During the primary election campaign I got along well with both my fellow candidates on a personal level. I voiced my disagreement with both candidates over issues and philosophy.
I refused to join in personal attacks or rumor spreading and tried to stick to the issues of concern for our community.
After the primary I met with both candidates, Rodney Mitchell and Frank Rivero.
I offered my council to both equally and discussed the local political climate as well as my feelings on leadership and management. At that time I told both men that it was time to cease the personal attacks and stick to the issues.
I made no endorsements or promises but chose to wait and see what each candidate had to say.
The ball was in their court. After several months I found Rivero to be the only candidate to come out with ideas for change and a philosophy mirroring my own. In my opinion, Mitchell came out swinging with a campaign of anger, attack and smear aimed at his opponent. It is a tactic, which I see as counter-productive and I have no respect for.
I have not traded an endorsement for a job as Becker suggests.
As a citizen I have the right and the obligation to make up my own mind, which candidate I thought would be the best person for the job. I chose to support Rivero.
I asked those who supported me to listen to both and make up their own minds and did not try to influence their vote.
Becker purports to be a journalist with a column in the Record-Bee, however it appears she is using her position to support her own agenda and political candidate.
I think, in doing so she provides free campaign publicity for one while clearly showing her bias against the other.
She has used the fact that I disagree with her choice to question my credibility.
To this, my answer is to look long and hard at the credibility of your own chosen candidate and his history of negative campaigning and false and misleading statements.
Perhaps then she might rethink whose credibility is in question.
Jack Baxter
Lakeport
