There are a few things worth noting here -

Dave Ferrari - A Democrat and a ferverent Montgomery supporter is also part of the Save Sierra College effort to oust Republican control of the Sierra College Board. Ferrari is part of the rubber-stamp board that enabled Kevin Ramirez' reign at Sierra College. See more on Save Sierra College Here

Also, of further note should be that Montgomery, when pressed about her Bay Area donations said they were from people with "Second Homes" in Placer. That makes it sooo much better Jennifer - not only are they Bay Area liberals, they are rich and are importing their ideaology to Placer County. I wonder how many of them are going to support low-income housing near their second homes?

Next, Montgomery is unrepentant about her eco-extremism. She proudly promotes Placer Legacy and the tax increases that were supposed to accompany it, that got shot down by voters.

The Final absurdity is the part about partisanship - the same lady who talked about the USA being the equivalent of the Taliban and Nazi Germany actually chides Bruce for promoting his endorsement by McClintock. That is about as ridiculous as Ted Kennedy lecturing John Ashcroft about ethics.

Supes candidates debate donations, ideologies in Colfax

District 5 opponents Montgomery, Kranz give audience taste of tough campaign

By Gus Thomson, Journal Staff Writer

COLFAX - The election race between incumbent Supervisor Bruce Kranz and challenger Jennifer Montgomery for Placer County's 5th District seat gave a sparse crowd a sampling Wednesday of the vitriol that has accompanied the campaign.

Much of the acrimony revolved around campaign donations from the development community.
But a dispute also threatened to boil over about party allegiances and what role they play in what has been traditionally but not necessarily universally construed as a non-partisan post.
Kranz, a first-term incumbent and Weimar resident, slammed Montgomery for what he described as "hypocrisy" in statements she has made in the past about avoiding "pay to play" politics and a pledge to not accept out-of-district developer donations.

Montgomery characterized the "hypocrite" tag as "very silly," saying that one of the donors named by Kranz - David Ferrari, whose family has owned the Ferrari Crown Motel in North Lake Tahoe for 50 years - gave only $120. Kranz told the audience of about 30 that Ferrari is building a major resort at King's Beach.

Montgomery described Ferrari as a small business owner whose family has owned property in the Tahoe area for 50 years.

"If he was considered to be buying my vote he was doing a bad job of it," Montgomery said.
Kranz has been criticized by the Montgomery camp in recent weeks for raising much of his funding from developers, casino and building industry donors, including $30,000 from the Royal Gorge developers and $10,000 from the California Building Industry Association.

Kranz fought back at Wednesday's Colfax Kiwanis Club debate by accusing Montgomery of raising much of her money - "$66,000 from Bay Area people, $88,000 from out of county" - while claiming she's getting support from inside the district.

"I'm just calling hypocrisy as I see it," Kranz said.

Montgomery said her campaign is taking in donations from Bay Area residents who have second homes in the Tahoe area.

With the Nov. 4 election less than two weeks away, Kranz recently reported that he had raised $232,000 by the end of September while Montgomery reported contributions of $166,000.

The debate grew into a back-and-forth exchange when Montgomery was asked in a question from the floor about her registration as a Democrat voter.

"It doesn't matter in this race," Montgomery said. "It's a non-partisan office and I will represent anyone. I have support across the board because people in the district want someone who will represent them as people, not political ideologies."

Montgomery, who identified herself early in last spring's campaign as a registered Democrat, was criticized by Kranz for what he said was displaying Tom McClintock campaign signs at her booth during an event in the district. McClintock, a conservative Republican, is running for congress in the 4th District that takes in much of Placer County.

Kranz, a conservative Republican supported by McClintock, said that Montgomery is receiving contributions from the "political left" in a conservative district.

"I'm glad you've finally said who you are," Kranz said.

Montgomery said that she set up a booth next to one where Tom McClintock supporters were.

"Our booths were next to each other," Montgomery said. "I'm sorry Bruce seems to think partisanship is important. I see it as detrimental."

"The reason she doesn't care is because she's trying to hide it," Kranz shot back. "Tom McClintock endorsed me. Why do you portray yourself as someone you are not?"

The Journal's Gus Thomson can be reached at gust@goldcountrymedia.com. 

Taliban Jen got hammered... even the AJ had to admit it.