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Letter to the editor by Tom Mallams, Herald and News 5/16/10

     PAC ad contained mistake

   The opposition to liberal agendas in our community is very uplifting. This is a definite trend arising across our great nation. Tea Party and other conservative organizations are forming from coast to coast, helping to inform, educate and motivate our citizens.

   The Klamath Conservative Voters PAC is one of the organizations dedicated to embracing true conservative values. Our PAC is operating at a very large disadvantage. We are competing with well-funded (mostly with our tax dollars), very large and very experienced liberal groups such as Sustainable Northwest.

   These groups have paid attorneys, well paid staff, some local ,that are infiltrating   and working to divide our local communities, while claiming to be bringing them together. They spread misinformation, half-truths and untrue messages. Truth is one of the conservative movements’ greatest assets.

   In the recent Klamath Conservative Voters PAC two-page advertisement, there is an editing mistake. It should not have happened. It was a simple mistake.

   The one sentence concerning the additional $100 million to be paid to the Klamath Tribe was apparently language from earlier negotiations that did not end up in these documents. That number is “only” $5 million. As a true conservative, I believe every person has to be accountable for his or her actions, intentional or not.

   I take responsibility for this simple, honest editing mistake. I am not perfect by any means. It was not intentional in any way. Our grassroots organization has no paid staff. We are all volunteers striving to keep our great county’s conservative values intact and we will continue to do so.

   Our current focus is opposing dam removal, electing Dennis Linthicum for county commissioner and to re-elect Bill Garrard as state Representative. Both of these candidates represent our nation’s true, core conservative values.  

   Tom Mallams Beatty

   Editor’s note: This letter was written before the controversy erupted late last week over the contents of ads by the Klamath Conservative Voters PAC.