Doug LaMalfa now launching attack ads against Audrey Denney in District 1 race

Editor’s note: I first wrote about how Audrey Denny campaign signs were being stolen from our neighborhood, including our home. Now Doug LaMalfa’s campaign is launching attack ads. The details are here:

Have you seen Rep. LaMalfa’s new attack ad against me? I wanted to highlight a few points about it here:

1. The woman narrating the 30-second commercial is Reanette Fillmer, Vice Mayor of Chico. I am a resident in Chico, which means I am one of Reanette Fillmer’s constituents. So, to be clear: The Vice Mayor of Chico is attacking me — her constituent — in a TV commercial on behalf of my opponent. Her claim that I’m lying about our congressman’s verifiable voting record and his campaign finances has no merit. I have backed up all of my statements with documented facts.

2. The gas tax is referenced in the commercial, which isn’t surprising because Rep. LaMalfa has spent a great deal of time and resources making this a divisive, partisan issue. Here are the facts: SB 1 will invest $500 million over 10 years right here in our rural Northern California district, alone. Firefighters and Highway Patrol Officers agree we need this funding to make much-needed improvements to our rural roads. The claim that this will cost families $800 per year is a tremendous exaggeration. You would need to purchase over 18 gallons of gas every single day of the entire year to reach an $800 per family increase.

3. The Vice Mayor claims in the ad that I support a 1.5 trillion dollar tax increase. This is false. If she is referring to the 1.5 trillion dollar tax giveaway congress pushed through last year which benefited the richest among us and large corporations, I would have voted against it — unlike Rep. LaMalfa. Watch my two-minute response on this exact topic at a recent forum with Rep. LaMalfa.

4. In the ad, I am described as having “San Francisco values.” I’m not sure what this means exactly, but if it means that I am for bringing high-speed internet access to our rural communities to strengthen our economic opportunities and create better-paying, dignified jobs in our district, then sure— label me that. Also, Go SF Giants!

5. The commercial includes a photo of me and our current Lieutenant Governor of California Gavin Newsom. I’m not clear on why Representative LaMalfa chose to highlight this photo but to provide full context, the photo was pulled from a public Facebook post I shared on the day I met with the Lieutenant Governor in April 2018: I met with an elected state official to discuss policy priorities that would help the economy in our Northern California region, including technical assistance programs for farmers, streamlining agriculture regulations, and providing base funding for our Resource Conservation Districts.

If you’re thinking, “Why haven’t I heard about Representative LaMalfa meeting with our top state officials to discuss these important subjects?” My answer to you is, “I don’t know. But, if he won’t do it, I will.”

We’re countering Rep. LaMalfa’s attack ad with commercials of our own, highlighting LaMalfa’s voting record and the fact that he is bought and paid for to the tune of $1.3 million in campaign contributions from lobbyists. Help us by donating today!

In gratitude,

Audrey Denney
Candidate for Congress, CA Congressional District 1

Author: jeffpelline

Jeff Pelline is a veteran editor and award-winning journalist - in print and online. He is publisher of Sierra FoodWineArt magazine and its website SierraCulture.com. Jeff covered business and technology for The San Francisco Chronicle for 12 years, and he was a founding editor and Editor of CNET News for eight years, among other positions. Jeff has a bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley and a master's from Northwestern University. His hobbies include sailing, swimming, and trout fishing in the Sierra. View all posts by jeffpelline