The Jerry McNerney vs. Ricky Gill saga continues as the Gill camp is accusing McNerney of not living in Stockton and committing potential voter fraud. McNerney states he is registered to vote and lives there when in California.
Let me break this silly so called news story down using common sense, when a candidate (in this case Ricky Gill) has run out of steam and accomplishments to stand on while losing the ability to sway voters on the issues at hand, they tend to go negative against their opponent (in this case Jerry McNerney). With the attacks in recent weeks against McNerney, it appears the Gill camp has officially gone negative due to his poor polling numbers.
If the Stockton Record would do their research and just be honest with its readers, they would simply come out and just say Jerry McNerney could live in San Diego of all places and still be eligible to serve in 9th Congressional District. Instead, they are more interested in creating news than reporting on it.
At least Josh Richman of the Contra Costa Times stated:
The Democrat is seeking a fourth term in the newly drawn 9th Congressional District, which doesn’t include Pleasanton; however, a candidate isn’t required to live in the House district in which he or she runs, only in the same state.
Going a step further, McNerney is ultimately a victim of redistricting and nothing more. His lines moved and people should appreciate he moved from a beautiful town in Pleasanton to Stockton—no offense, but that is not an upgrade if you ask me. The guy should get kudos for trying to do the right thing.
Instead, we get Ricky Gill’s consultant James Fisfis accusing McNerney of voter fraud and calling on an investigation. This is preposterous! If Mr. Fisfis is calling on an investigation, I would ask the same treatment of Ricky Gill who has been away at college for the last few years so how could he possibly be “in district” or helping on the family farm or running a small business.
For the record Mr. Fsfis, NPR said Gill has spent his entire adult life in College and Law School. NPR also reported that “On the ballot, Gill is listed as a small businessman and farmer, though he’s spent virtually his entire adult life in college and law school.” [NPR,6/1/12 ]
McNerney and his wife, Mary, still own the Pleasanton house, according to Alameda County records.
So what? Is he not allowed to own multiple homes? Is he not allowed to own a home where he has lived for many years while renting in the Stockton area with the possibility of buying?
McNerney still claims a $7,000 homeowner’s exemption for his Pleasanton home. By law, only a homeowner’s primary residence qualifies for a homeowner’s exemption.
The Gill camp and newspapers think they are pretty clever here. McNerney claimed this exemption on his 2011 taxes so of course he would claim it because he did not move to Stockton until May of this year.
By state law, McNerney could continue to live in Pleasanton and serve the 9th District. With that said, he is doing the right thing and uprooting his family to live in the District he will now serve, I tip my hat to Jerry!
The McNerneys have not bought a house in Stockton. They rented on Riverbank Circle in Brookside.
Jerry McNerney does not have to buy a home to represent the District, he can rent. According to the Contra Costa Times he says he will buy a home. I didn’t know home ownership was a requirement to serve in Congress.
Mary McNerney remains registered to vote in Alameda County.
I didn’t know Mary McNerney was running for election. Considering Jerry McNerney is back and forth from CA to DC and traveling all over, it really doesn’t matter where she lives.
McNerney’s car is still registered in Pleasanton, according to Carfax.
Since McNerney still owns a home in Pleasanton, who cares.
The car, a silver Toyota Camry, has remained parked at the Pleasanton home.
The article stated Jerry McNerney is in Washington DC and still has a home in Pleasanton; there could be thousands of reason why a car is parked in a driveway. Let’s use some common sense people!
No cars were parked outside the Stockton home during the two-week period. The home was locked and shuttered. No one answered knocks at the door. On garbage day, the bins were not put out.
If Jerry McNerney is serving his current District from DC, of course no one is going to be home, but thank you to the Stockton Record for announcing to the world that his home his now open for vandalism.
When the House recessed June 29-30, McNerney flew home to California. The Gill campaign provided a videotape it says shows McNerney padding out of his Pleasanton home to get his paper on the morning of Saturday, June 30.
So what, I can take a video and change the date anytime I want. Is the Gill campaign so paranoid its resorting to spying on McNerney and videotaping him? I can remember the Gill campaign complaining and accusing McNerney for this same type of behavior which McNerney said wasn’t him–this one seems a big hypocritical.
Some of McNerney’s Stockton neighbors say he appears not to live there, though some report seeing him on weekends, when he mows his lawn with a push-mower. No one reported seeing Mary McNerney.
If McNerney is traveling most of his time, if he just began renting in May and is hardly there, of course they are not going to see him or realize he lives there—did they not report him mowing his lawn? Why the negative spin on this one? Again, so what if Mary McNerney is not seen, she is not running for office.
McNerney’s next-door neighbor, Suzanne Uchizono, said she had “no clue” whether McNerney lived in the house. But she’d occasionally seen him.
So she has no clue he lives there but has occasionally seen him. Maybe Jerry McNerney had no clue Suzanne Uchizono lives there because he was home when she is at work or out running errands.
As you can see, there are some pretty big unconfirmed holes in the newspapers story that I could find many other ways to disprove this as nonsense accusations.
Is this really the type of journalism the people of Stockton are stuck with? Moving takes time and it’s not completed in a weekend for as much as McNerney is on the road. This accusation is pretty low and irrelevant to anything either man is running on.
I call on Mr. Gill for a third time to stop with the political games and focus on politics going forward. You really do look like a child who didn’t get his way and now throwing a fit.
5 comments
I want to attack McNerney for this, but I can understand that his District lines have moved and is making the attempt to move to Stockton. Good for him! This claim of voter fraud is a big turnoff to me. I agree with Mike, focus on politics!
There you go again eastcountytoday, showing favortism to one and attacking the other.
I think we need to change Ricky Gill’s name to Ricky “Chill” Gill because he needs to chill out on the attacks. Now I am annoyed.
It would be a giant leap for me to regard Gill as a serious contender for this office. I am sure he is considered a bright, aspiring young man by some, but WHY IN THE WORLD would the District even consider replacing a competent, well-regarded, consensus building legislator who has garnered an incredible list of bi-partisan endorsements with a just-out-of-college lightweight?
On top of that, the whole residency issue makes Gill look even more juvenile, and makes his advisors look like they can’t find much to promote about Ricky. Why should a congressman who had the misfortune to be re-districted have to make a flash decision and imprudently sell a life-long home in down financial times? It is enough that he endeavors to spend time in Stockton when he is home from Washington D.C..
Final blow, there are 5 CAL alums in my immediate family, and we spent 30 years in the Valley.
But MCNERNEY has our full support.
The 9th congressional district is a new one, which Jerry could possibly gain, depending on the election outcome.
Currently he oversees this San Joaquin county, as an addition to the East Bay Area.
However, San Joaquin County is suffering badly. We need more jobs, and improved education, and we also want to boost the region’s economical appeal. Jerry has been absent at many community functions. Ricky makes an effort to participate and talk to residents.
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