HANNAH BETH JACKSON STATEMENT ON ATTACK OF PROTESTERS

Tuesday, June 20, 2008

On Tuesday, June 17th, a state employee on Assemblymember Audra Strickland’s staff Joel Angeles attacked several participants of a protest of candidate Tony Strickland’s acceptance of massive contributions from the tobacco lobby.  Mr. Angeles’ attack was provoked only by the protesters’ desire to exercise their first amendment rights.  

Had Joel Angeles been my employee he would have been fired on the spot.  There is no justification for anyone, let alone a state employee, to deprive anyone of their free speech rights.   A public employee on the staff of an elected representative is committed to protect the constitution on behalf of his employer, the State of California. Assemblymember Strickland has apparently suspended Mr. Angeles for a month.  It is incomprehensible that someone with such a long history of service with Audra and Tony Strickland as Mr. Angeles would not understand the public’s basic constitutional rights and the responsibilities of a public official.  Audra and Tony Strickland should ensure that he has no future role in fulfilling their public responsibilities or campaigning for public office.

I have asked everyone associated with my campaign to respect our opponent’s right to express their views, and believe that the public has the right to a full debate on the issues that face us in this election.  The choice of who will represent the 19th Senate District next year is far too important to allow bullying or intimidation to disrupt the process.

— Hannah-Beth Jackson, June 20th, 2008

Jackson for Senate

Ventura County Star on Suspension of Strickland Staffer

Hannah-Beth Jackson served in the California State Assembly from 1998-2004 during which time she authored over 60 pieces of legislation that were signed into law by both Republican and Democratic governors, improving public education, increasing public safety, improving access to health care, protecting the environment as well as protecting the rights of consumers.   She is the Democratic Party nominee to replace term-limited State Senator Tom McClintock in an open seat in the 19th Senate District, which includes large parts of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, and a small portion of Los Angeles County, and cities of Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Santa Clarita, Camarillo, Moorpark, Lompoc, Ojai and many others.  

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An amusing article written today by Ventura County Star’s Timm Herdt on Republican candidate Tony Strickland (running vs. Hannah-Beth Jackson) on Strickland’s ballot designation as an ‘Alternative Energy Executive.’ Turns out he’s the President of GreenWave Energy Solutions, a newly-created company that is designed to develop wave energy technology. The staff is basically made of Strickland’s Senate campaign workers, and his avowed interest and faith in alternative energy is belied by the fact that he hasn’t even put up the $5,000 investment that his four partners have. In fact Strickland, when he was a member of the Assembly, voted against legislation that would have required energy companies to supply more of their energy from renewable energy resources, which would have created a real market for GreenWave Energy (and many other green technology companies). Strickland’s opponent, Hannah-Beth Jackson, was a co-author of two bills in 2002 designed to expand markets for just such companies (SB 1038, SB 1078).

What’s really funny, though, is Strickland’s environmental pose. As a legislator he was a one-man wrecking crew on initiatives to protect our air and water, never missing an opportunity to side with polluters against the environment He voted against air quality standards, emissions caps, greenhouse gas standards, strengthening penalties for air quality violations, incentives for low-emission vehicles, environmental regulation of Mexican trucks, reduction in diesel and port pollution, a ban on oil tanking along the California coast. He voted to protect agricultural burning and offshore waste incineration. He opposed a ban on the sale and manufacture of items (including children’s toys!) that contained mercury. He even voted against a Jackson-authored measure to prevent pesticide spraying next door to schoolchildren.

Hannah-Beth has long been regarded as an environmental champion, receiving the endorsement of the California League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club in every election in which she’s run. In the Assembly she chaired the two key environmental committees, and authored over 30 pieces of legislation designed to promote alternative energy sources, protect air and water quality, reduce coastal pollution, preserve open space, protect against pesticides and toxics in our daily lives, and protect the Coastal Commission and the California coast against overdevelopment and pollution. To find out more about Hannah-Beth Jackson’s campaign for State Senate, or join this important push to turn a historically red district blue, please visit our website.

Chris Lanier Campaign Manager Friends of Hannah-Beth Jackson