Campaign Tactics

* A few days before the election something occurred in the Moorpark City Council race that I found deeply disturbing. An unknown person or persons set up an automated telephone system to make anonymous calls to about 2,600 Moorpark residents with a recorded message viciously attacking Councilman Chris Evans, a candidate for reelection.

The message was made to sound like a “public service” announcement.

I have been and remain a strong and vocal supporter of Chris Evans. I consider him a friend and a generous public servant who, like our other elected officials, has taken time away from his family and his personal and business interests to serve our community.

I believe that if the anonymous attack against Evans goes unchallenged, it may become an acceptable political tactic in our city. Evans lost the election, but we will all lose if we don’t stand up to cowards who hide behind anonymity to launch malicious attacks against those who selflessly dedicate themselves to public service.

Who would want to enter public service in a community that allowed such attacks to go unchallenged?

I have spoken with [successful candidates] Roseann Mikos and Keith Millhouse. Both of them assured me that neither they nor their campaigns had anything to do with the calls. They also indicated their strong disapproval of anonymous political attacks.

If you agree that there is no place in Moorpark for this sort of political terrorism, I urge you not to be silent with your criticism. Make your voices heard so the good people in our community who enter public service for the benefit of us all will not have to weigh the fear and damage of such malicious attacks against their commitment to public service.

SCOTT GREEN

Moorpark