Campaign Mailings

I am outraged at the political slate mailer titled “Environmental Choice ‘90” that arrived in my mail just days before the election. Two versions of the slate mailer were produced and mailed, one targeted to Democratic voters and one to Republicans.

Both mailers were produced by the Primacy Group, a San Diego political consulting firm. Both were headlined with a picture and quote from Peter Navarro, president of Prevent Los Angelization Now!, or PLAN, who was supposed to lend credibility to the two mailers.

While I was a strong supporter of Big Green (Proposition 128) and Forest Forever (Proposition 130), I am embarrassed and appalled to have the environmental community associated with these mailers. The Sierra Club endorsed Dianne Feinstein for governor, yet Feinstein appeared as the “environmental choice” on the Democratic mailer and Pete Wilson as the “environmental choice on the Republican mailer.” Which one is the “environmental choice?”

Some propositions not supported by the Sierra Club were listed on the environmental mailer. This was deceptive and misleading.

Shame on Peter Navarro! Shame on the Primacy Group! No wonder voters are getting fed up with the political process. As an environmental leader, I want readers to know that the “Environmental Choice ‘90” slate mailers were in no way sponsored by the Sierra Club or the coalition to pass Big Green.

It is time for local and state governments to pass real ethics reform laws that force political consultants and independent campaigns to disclose in large print who is paying for deceptive campaign literature.

RON OTTINGER, Chairman, Sierra Club Political Committee, San Diego