Les Baugh

Political Extortion 101 – Jon Fleischman and the “No New Taxes Pledge”

Jon Fleischman, Les Baugh Comments Off

Jun 032012

Pledges. They are worthless – witness Howard Jarvis Taxpayers endorsements in recent years. They have endorsed several marginal Republican Candidates that have made a mockery of their good name. (How dare I point that out) Remember Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Witness all the people who have signed the ATR “No New Taxes Pledge” who have wiped their behinds with it.

So-Called taxpayer groups sprout up like weeds – including the taxpayer group that is supporting Frank Bigelow against Rico Oller.

Jon Fleischman has appointed himself one of the guardians of virtue in the Republican Party with his website and his boorish tactics to coerce Republican candidates in to signing the ATR Pledge or to make some sort of public statement that they won’t raise taxes, ever.

What he does – is to threaten people, he’s done it for years and I believe that I am the first to ever expose this publicly. I have also been told that he engages in similar tactics to sell ad space on his blog.

From: Scott Loenhorst <redacted>
Date: May 14, 2012 11:49:14 PM PDT
To: voteforles@sbcglobal.net
Subject: RE: You have NOT signed the ATR Pledge – so you are willing to raise taxes?

Dear Les,

My name is Scott Loenhorst and I am writing on behalf of Jon Fleischman, Publisher of the widely-read FlashReport Website on California Politics (www.flashreport.org).

We are writing you because you are a candidate for partisan office and according to our records, you have not signed the Americans for Tax Reform’s “Taxpayer Protection Pledge.” We wanted to make sure that you have the pledge available and we would like you to sign it right away. It is our request that you sign and return this form within 24 hours. Let us know if you have any questions.

We believe that it is very important that fiscally conservative candidates present a united front against the onslaught from special interests, who put tremendous pressure on GOP legislators to vote for a tax increase.

The form is attached. Please note that it needs a witness. If you need more information about the pledge itself, you can find more information on the ATR website: http://www.atr.org/taxpayer-protection-pledge

We believe that one of the reasons why Democrats have not raised taxes in Sacramento, is because virtually every Republican legislator in Sacramento has signed this pledge. It might interest you to know that every Republican member of Congress from California has signed.

If we do not hear back from you in this email, we will follow up with a phone call.

Thank you for your prompt attention to completing the attached form. In addition to faxing it to ATR to the number on the form, we ask that you also email it back to us, or fax it to us at 1-928-223-8068.

Scott

PS – Please get back to me as soon as possible, as Jon is getting ready to write a story about Republican candidates who have not signed the pledge, which will be read by local conservative grassroots leaders and GOP donors in your area, and will likely be picked up by the media in your area.

Scott Loenhorst

The FlashReport

Senior Associate
xxx-xxx-xxxx-Mobile

Nice, huh? Sign the pledge or Jon Fleischman is going to “Out” you on his blog. Les Baugh – the client of mine that got threatened is a pastor of a Church in Anderson, CA and believes that there are only two pledges he should ever make in his life – to God and his wife.

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Les pushed back against Mr. Flesichman and Jon in correspondence doubled down on the threat.

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This pattern of high-minded arrogance is rampant in California Republican Party leadership.

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As an aside – please note that the Flashreport receives roughly 500-700 hits on a normal day. You can look that up on competition intelligence websites… future Republican candidates should laugh off the above threat and run their campaigns.

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The only thing that is a bigger joke right now than these tax pledges is the California Republican Party itself.

… And Now we Have Some Races

AD-06 Race, Beth Gaines, CA SD-01 Race, Les Baugh, Linda M Park, Ted Gaines Comments Off

Feb 172012

Believe it.

Linda M Park has made over 20 public appearances in her three-week-old campaign.

Placer County and ElDoardo County are getting acquainted with Les Baugh from Shasta County.

Endorsements are coming. Checks are being written, we have some races on our hands – this is going to be a great season in Placer County Politics.

This has all been made possible by the lack of leadership by the Gains. Even the simplest of gestures and involvement could have stopped their train wreck.

The anger in the district is palpable over the double dipping of the gains dynasty.

Instead of leadership we have a family dynasty built on betrayal of stakeholders in the respective districts with the backdrop of a rented house in Rocklin.

Placer County Lincoln Day Dinner Recap

Beth Gaines, Dan Logue, Kirk Uhler, Les Baugh, Linda M Park, Mark Wright, Rick Bossetti, Sam Aanestad, Wally Herger Comments Off

Feb 122012

Best short speech: Kirk Uhler rocked the crowd with his short address.

Pam Tobin took suddenly ill and did not make the dinner. (Perhaps her liberal democrat activist consultant and campaign manager did not want to come to the dinner?)

Biggest Surprise: Robert Grigas is running against Jim Holmes in Sup District 3. Holmes left the GOP a few years ago because of our “divisive” stands against local tax measures. His Brother Mike ran against John Doolittle twice in the Primary. Grigas picked up support by virtue of being a Republican willing to file.

Best Long Speech: Shasta County Supervisor Les Baugh connected with the crowd bringing some North State Values down to Placer County. His speech was so good in fact that it caused…

The Worst Speech: Ted Gains. Obviously rattled by the connection his opponent for State Senate made, Ted attempted to envoke Tim Tebow to gain traction. Ultimately, it was the failure to string thoughts together that doomed Ted’s presentation.

Hello Again: Sam Aanestad is taking on the biggest fraud in the North State – Doug LaMalfa. LaMalfa’s popularity will be tested by Aanestad. That congressional district has a choice now.

Welcome to the Race: Linda Park – was the only candidate who got interrupted by applause mid speech. This was her first major address as a candidate for AD-06. (Beth Gains was ill and did not attend the Lincoln Dinner.)

Welcome to the Race part 2: Mark Wright also came in a suit and tie and made an impression on the crowd.

Honorable Mention – Rick Bosetti. Running for AD-01 which includes 1/2 of Placer Sup D5 – Bossetti decided to visit the Placer County faithful to introduce himself. I think he made a good first impression.

Red Meat Award: I want some of what Dan Logue had before coming to the Placer Lincoln Day dinner – he was on fire. Les Baugh was charming and warm, Dan was on a tear.

Wally Herger gave his first and last address to Placer County as a Congressman. He was charming and gracious – Assemblyman Dan Logue presented Wally with an Assembly Resolution when he introduced him.

Notable Absences: Pam Tobin D-Granite Bay, Beth Gains R-Roseville/Rocklin, Doug LaMalfa R-Subsidy

Les Baugh for State Senate / Linda M Park for Assembly – why?

AD-06 Race, Les Baugh, Linda M Park, SD-01 Race 1 Response »

Jan 312012

In italics is a short summary I wrote for a local media inquiry on behalf of Les Baugh. I think it sums it up in both cases. Don’t think for a second that Les wouldn’t have said something similar – he would, and therein lies another major difference voters get to choose from.

Interestingly – I have been getting anxious inquiry from political insiders as to why Linda is running against Beth Gaines and why I took Les Baugh on as a client.

Neither Les Baugh or Linda Park owe anyone an apology for running – Ted and Beth Gaines owe people an apology for the way they have governed.

I am a citizen legislator – meaning that I am one of the people I seek to represent. I will not reign – instead, the door or my office will be open to all comers.

I am a staunch conservative and I believe our government has more than enough money to do its’ job – however, the priorities are badly misaligned. The issue for this Senate (Assembly) District is the utter lack of leadership and engagement.

Simply refusing to acknowledge people you disagree with guarantees more of the same and I know very few people who are better off in 2012 than they were in 2008. I am motivated to run because of the need for accountable, engaged governance. I am not afraid to negotiate with people that do not believe as I do in an attempt to make progress without compromise. Leaders engage.

It is that desire to engage that I believe is my primary defining difference, it is the desire to be accountable to those I serve rather than being sequestered away from the constituents that is the other defining difference.

I believe that with engaged leadership the efforts to close public land, destroy dams, regulate water, eliminate the 2nd Amendment and the attempts by the legislature to eliminate risks from life can be mitigated by negotiating with those attempting to do these things in an effort to solve the perceived issue without destroying freedom.

And to think – the Gaines are renting a house in Rocklin, probably for just long enough to retain power if they are successful in getting re-elected. How does that make you feel as a voter? What kind of message does that send?

It’s not a matter of who is more conservative which is the easy-way-out cheapshot in a lot of Republican Primaries – as Les is a Pastor and Linda is a long-time CRA member.

Beth Gaines won’t be able to use a boogie man attack like she did against John Allard against Linda – where she lied about John Allard (standard faire in political attacks) and used his experience against him. (Linda, while in her first term on school board – ironically has been in office longer than Beth!)

The Gaines are going to have to stand up and defend the way they have governed and are also going to have to explain why a husband-and-wife political dynasty is a good thing for California. This is a double-loser for them.

Herger Fallout Continued: Logue for AD-03 / Jim Nielsen Bows Out of AD-03

CA SD-01 Race, CA-02 Race, Campaign Retardation 101, Colonel Pete Stiglich, Dan Logue, Doug LaMalfa, Jim Nielsen, Les Baugh, Ted Gaines Comments Off

Jan 102012

Here is the text of an Email from Dan Logue:

Chico – North State Assemblyman Dan Logue today announced that he would be seeking reelection to the newly drawn Third Assembly District seat. Logue was originally elected to the Third Assembly District in 2008 and has represented the district for the past four years.

“Redistricting has caused many changes in the North State, but It has been my privilege to represent the residents of Third Assembly District for these past four years and I look forward to continuing to do so,” stated Logue. “I have had to examine where my strengths are and where I can be most effective for the North State by continuing to serve in the Third Assembly District seat.”

The Third Assembly District is comprised of all of Yuba, Sutter, Tehama, Glenn and portions of Butte and Colusa Counties.

Here’s what this means – the current AD01 Race is now tossed in to a tizzy. Brian Dahle from Lassen, Ted Owens from Nevada, and at least one more person from Shasta County are rumored to be jumping in to the fray against already declared liberal Republican Rick Bossetti.

AD01 – Siskiyou, Shasta, Modoc, Lassen, Plumas, Sierra, Nevada 1/2 of Butte and 1/3 of Placer. Dan Logue was to have moved to Lake Wildwood in Nevada County to run.

Regarding Jim Nielsen – sources have told this blogger that Gentlemen Jim is not running for his third term against Dan Logue – rather (in the opinion of this blog) Gentleman Jim is going to conserve his resources to run for State Senate against Dan Logue after Doug LaMalfa wins election to Congress.

There are two opponents to Doug LaMalfa – my friend Colonel Pete Stiglich and another guy from Shasta County that wants to split the vote with Stiglich to enable the third candidate to win. (Gotta love Republicans and their firm grasp on strategy)

Les Baugh is still running against Ted Gaines for SD-01.

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