Measure T Faces Defiance From Corporate Chocolate

Humboldt Sentinel
News 10/22/08
By Sentinel Staff

Democracy Unlimited head faces Water Board challenger willing to test waters

FIELDS LANDING -- Is chocolate sweeter when it’s tasted in defiance of an unconstitutional ballot initiative?

Humboldt Bay Water Board challenger and local attorney Stephen Davies hopes so, as he holds his first fundraiser in his bid for the Division 1 seat held by Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap, who is the executive director of Democracy Unlimited.

Davies has garnered a non-monetary contribution of chocolate from a gourmet manufacturer in San Francisco, and plans to serve it up at his Blind Water Taste Testing event on Friday at 4:00 p.m. at Has Beans Cafe in Eureka.

“We have plenty of light and dark chocolate from a non-local corporation to share with you,” Davies said in a release.

Such a contribution, of any amount, was rendered illegal by Measure T, which sought to prohibit any monetary or non-monetary contribution, of any kind, of any amount, to any local candidate from a non-local corporation -- with “non-local” being defined as having a single employee or a single shareholder residing beyond Humboldt County. This ban has since been lifted with the federal court injunction issued against Measure T by Judge Susan Illston last month, and Davies’ declaration is the first open flouting of the now nullified measure.

All candidates in Humboldt County received a demand letter in September from Democracy Unlimited insisting on their support for Measure T, even if it were nullified by the judicial review process, as well as querying their level of support for the DUHC doctrine of undermining constitutional equal protection standards in dealing with corporations. Davies’ case was unique since the letter was sent by his very opponent, who predictably answered in the affirmative to the questions she had herself issued. Davies declined to fall in line.

“The incumbent of this water board position, Kaitlin Sopoci-Belknap, has a record of blocking public input on important issues before the water board and has wasted taxpayer money with a poorly drafted Measure T initiative,” Davies said.

The Friends of Stephen Davies campaign committee also intends for their event, as the name implies, to gauge whether local residents can tell the difference between non-local bottled water and local tap water, as a way of raising public awareness about local water supply issues.

The event is free and undecided voters are welcome to attend and ask the candidate questions. For more information, call 707-496-9666 or e-mail turnerlit@gmail.com.