Politics has a way of turning ugly,  particularly in an election year, and 2008 has already started off with a bang. An anonymous YouTube.com video appeared during the later part of December that compared Stanislaus County Supervisor Jim DeMartini to former Congressman Gary Condit and questioned his business ethics. The video received quite a bit of play but has since been removed to non-registered users.

It was not your typical YouTube video in that it appeared professionally done and was structured exactly like a campaign hit piece.

Accusations have been flying as to who exactly paid for the video and who is behind the attack on DeMartini.

Of course, the first person who came to mind for many was probably Gerry Kamilos, the lead developer of the West Park group who hopes to turn the Crows Landing Naval Base into a 4,800 acre industrial park. DeMartini has challenged the West Park proposal from day one, making him a thorn in the side of those who would like to see the project sail through.

Kamilos has steadfastly denied any involvement with the YouTube piece and has criticized those who link him to it.

Others suspect that self-proclaimed Patterson activist Donna Worley may be involved. Worley, according to news reports, purchased a copy of a local television program – West Side Stories- in which DeMartini was the featured guest. A clip from the show appears in the YouTube video as well. The owner and producer, Gordon Barbosa, reportedly recalls only one person purchased that clip and it was Worley. Of course, Worley has reportedly denied any knowledge of the video.

The accusations could go on forever and we may never really know who is directly responsible for the video.

What we do know is that DeMartini certainly seems to be on the hit list these days and we have to wonder just how far these anonymous forces will go to shut him down.

In my opinion, DeMartini is only doing what he is supposed to do as our county supervisor – protecting our best interests.

There really isn’t any room for anonymous hit pieces, web sites or anything of that nature when it comes to the discussion of the development of the naval base and surrounding property. This is a project that will forever change the West Side and deserves to be addressed only with the highest of integrity.

Speaking of integrity, one has to wonder what West Park was thinking when they decided to retain the same legal firm that the Stanislaus Council of Governments (StanCOG) uses.

According to WS-PACE, the organization that is heading opposition to West Park, they have registered two complaints with the FPPC and one with the State Bar of California because of the alleged conflict of interest.

At the Nov. 14 StanCOG meeting, the representatives from Neumiller & Beardslee reportedly served as the agency’s attorneys. It was at that meeting that StanCOG voted to support a proposal to seek state bond funding for the West Park project. The group believes that the representatives from the law firm should have recused themselves from the meeting and the discussion.

I tend to agree.

When the City of Newman discussed their concerns of the West Park project, city attorney Tom Hallinan removed himself from the room because his wife – another attorney, Kathy Hallinan - is employed by the West Park group.

My, what a tangled web.

Again, let’s keep it all above board and in open discussion. There is a lot at stake here!

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