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Editor: 

I’m intrigued by the recent article and follow-up letter to the editor with regards to the political fundraising by the three candidates for the 14th Assembly District. This led me to examine the official report of the Secretary of State where I found information that did not quite jive with what I read in the planet. 

What I did see was that when we exclude loans like the $72,000 to Loni Hancock1s campaign ($67,000 from she and her husband), Mr. Ramsey has been able to raise 63% more for his campaign than Ms. Hancock ($257,364 to $157,526).  

I might also mention that Ms.Hancock1s husband recently boasted at a public gathering that when his wife wins, he1s going to make the unions pay off her debt. 

Ms. Hancock1s treasurer (Mal Burnstein) wants people to believe that Ms. Hancock has far more contributors than Mr. Ramsey but the records show that she has only 34 more contributors (out of a combined total of 879).  

He also wants people to believe that the working men and women of organized labor are as supportive of her campaign as they are of Mr. Ramsey’s.  

Once again the records would indicate otherwise as Mr. Ramsey shows endorsements from organized labor from all over the state and shows that he has received contributions from representatives of workers almost eight times more often than Ms. Hancock. 

The article pointed out that elected officials like Assemblywoman Dion Aroner had contributed to Ms. Hancock but the records show that of the eight contributions from elected leaders ($13,500) not a penny came out of their own pockets. They dipped into their campaign coffers to take money contributed by others (like labor unions) to help their old friend. 

As many of us are, I’m concerned when members of a campaign try to bamboozle the public by twisting the truth. And I really become concerned when these purveyors of misinformation make up the team heading to Sacramento to represent our interests. 

Don Gosney 

Richmond