A campaign brochure mailed into homes throughout Avalon seeks to remind voters to “write in” candidates to “protect Avalon,” yet both candidates named on the flyer say they had no previous knowledge of it before it was mailed.
“It’s a shame,” said Mayor Anni Marshall, who said “this had been a very clean campaign so far.” The Islander spoke to Marshall in Hawaii, who is attending the same wedding as her opponent, Bob Kennedy.
“I just want him and the people to know I had nothing to do with it,” she said.
The flyer was very critical of the Santa Catalina Island Company among other observations made in the full color piece that was mailed to island residents.
The flyer asked voters to support write in candidates Marshall and city councilman Joe Sampson to protect Avalon.
Sampson also said he had no knowledge of flyer in advance.
The flyer clearly indicates that it was composed and paid for by Mike Sheehan and listed an email address of catalinatransparecny@gmail.com.
Contacted about the mailer, Sheehan said both candidates he is supporting had no knowledge in advance of its contents. “That is correct,” he said.
In addition, Sheehan emphasized he is “not a political action committee.”
“My goal is to make Catalina politics more transparent, so I am identifying with the concept “Catalina Transparency” to work toward making the entire Island political system more transparent to the public in general,” he said.
The island resident said the mailer was sent within every legal and political regulation governed by the Fair Political Practices Commission.
“Further, the clear disclaimer on my mailer to the right of my return address states ‘This advertisement was not authorized or paid for by a candidate or a committee controlled by a candidate for this office,’” said Sheehan.
“There should be no confusion here with that disclaimer on the mailer. The FPPC has a great website where you can confirm the pertinent regulations at www.fppc.ca.gov,” said Sheehan.
Avalon voters go the polls April 10.
