Kathy Watanabe is downright desperate. As we know, desperate people do desperate things. I mentioned in an earlier column that Kathy Watanabe is not a nice person. She continues to validate that statement.
She has now extended her campaign platform to outright falsehoods.
In short … she is straight up lying to the public.
Last week, she called a press conference where she accused her opponents of taking money directly from the 49ers and demanded they return it.
You guessed it. It was a lie.
The fact is that the 49ers’ money goes to 49er independent expenditure committees, which by law operate completely separate from candidates. Candidates have no power over the activities or spending of independent expenditure committees.
And Watanabe knows she’s lying because she knows all about independent expenditure committees, as she was the beneficiary of a specific one — the Santa Clara Police Association PAC — in two elections.
That was perfectly legal. So are the 49ers’ independent expenditure committees, which at least aren’t masquerading as official city communications.
She never complained about independent expenditures then. In fact, when asked about it, she made it perfectly clear that she understood how these committees work. If they worked the way she’s now claiming they do, she has several hundred thousand dollars in unreported contributions to explain to the FPPC.
What was most pathetic about her big, bold, bag of baloney is that news outlets jumped on it, quoting her accusations as facts. Not one questioned this or asked for proof … despite their lofty claims about journalistic independence.
Unfortunately for Watanabe, it was a fabricated fantasy validating what we have been saying for weeks … Kathy Watanabe is just not a nice person. More than that, she’s not an ethical person. There seems to be no limit to her mendacity.
Any person with a brain would know that a billion-dollar company like the 49ers would not risk severe penalties and sanctions by ignoring California election laws.
Kathy Watanabe is desperate as she sees voters getting tired of her incessant crying wolf, and her rude and dismissive conduct toward anyone who’s not an ally. Folks are moving on to real issues like constantly escalating electric bills. Watanabe voted to raise your rates nine out of nine times while on the council.
Then there’s our deteriorating infrastructure. You may recall she ignored the decline of the swim center during her nine years on our city council and then had the nerve to ask you, the taxpayer, to foot the bill for the repairs.
It is important for Santa Clara voters to be honestly informed. Your vote for a candidate with integrity validates the importance of truth over blatant bumbling and intentional lies.
Previous Milestones:
Milestones – Hip, Hip Hypocrisy – Opinion
Milestones – A Mayor for the Majority – Opinion
Milestones – Stalking Supplants Sign-Stealing – Opinion