Local Progressive Dem calls NPR's Jason Margolis to task for piece about Matsui
Interesting letter written to the President of KQED --- with responses back and forth......

Mr. President,

I was very distressed by the lack of journalistic integrity in Mr. Margolis' Doris Matsui piece. He left out many important points: First, many Democrats are and have been upset over the entire entitlement mentality of the Democratic Party. The House of Representatives was not set-up as an entitlement system of special interest patronage, which it has become. The House members are given two year terms to represent the people; the Matsui's lost touch with this concept many years ago.

Second, not mentioned in the piece was that all other Democratic candidates were forced out of the race by the Party, which upset many local Democrats who have had it with the Matsui dynasty. The Democratic hierarchy told the other Democratic candidates they would not get any money if they ran against the machine candidate.

Third, with the help of institutionalized Party backing (especially within the DLC ranks), corporate benefactors, and wealthy patrons, Ms. Matsui has had an unbelievable advantage, raising over $700,000 in less than 6 weeks. The next largest war chest is held by Democrat Julie Padilla, with only $29,000. This race is all about money, and Matsui has the special interest bak-sheesh. She is the only candidate constantly running TV propaganda-mercials --- no other candidate is on TV.

Fourth, never mentioned was how one Democratic candidate decided to tell the Party to shove it, and is running. Her name is Julie Padilla and she is never mentioned in the piece. Julie has amazing progressive grassroots Democratic support against the corrupt Democratic machine.

Fifth, Ms. Matsui is caught-up in a special interest scandal --- which has been vetted in the Sacramento Bee. Through their position and inside information in Flood Control Projects, the Matsui's made investments less than a year ago in North Natomas Flood Control property with a Democratic political operative and developer named Angelo Tsakopoulos. In less than a year the Matsui's tripled their investment through inside information and a breach of fiduciary duty to the public trust. The previous owners bought out by Tsakopoulos lost more than 50% of their investment. No justice here and there should be future investigations to find out what really happened, but there's a stench here.

Sixth, Ms. Matsui at first, refused to debate the issues and refused to fill out questionnaires given to her by progressives to explain her positions. She finally did do both, but without kicking and screaming, and very late.

Seventh, the 5th congressional district is a strongly Democratic gerrymandered district. Over a majority of the registered voters are Democrats and roughly 25% Republicans, the rest are independent. Who ever the Democrats run is going to win, it's a no brainer. Who ever the Party fascist machine anoints will win.

Ms. Matsui supports the WAR in Iraq and the Patriot Act, like her husband, which makes her a controversial candidate. She also is a staunch supporter of Israel right or wrong and has a big Israeli American following which upsets many progressives.

Bottom line, Ms. Matsui is the Democratic machine, corporate Clintonista candidate who is no longer a Sacramentan, but a blue-blood Washingtonian, far removed from her constituents, bought and paid for by special interests.

Please, correct this piece and Mr. Margolis who did a terrible journalistic trash job. Please interview Karen Bernal of the Sacramento for Democracy group, a very knowledgeable, politically savvy activist or really ask people what's going on here! Mr. Margolis painted a very different picture of this election. I found this radio piece grossly deficient of the facts on the ground.

Regards,

Andy Dral


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Dear Andy,

Thank you for your note. I'm sorry that you found my story this morning unfair or unbalanced.

I've read your note and I understand your points. But, please understand that the story we ran was about why widows run for office, focusing on Doris Matsui as the latest example.

We have covered some of the other issues about the campaign you mention below in other stories. But Ms. Padilla's candidacy and some of the other concerns you raise were beyond the scope of this story, which, again, was about why widows run for office.

-Jason Margolis

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Mr. Margolis,

This close to an election, this listener thinks it was the wrong story to run. I find the whole entitlement concept abhorrent and the idea of a House member being there as long as Matsui an absolute disgrace and affront to our forefathers. Second, you miss the main point why she can do this, it's the corporate bak-sheesh her husband collected. She has from $700,000 to $850,000 in bak-sheesh to work with, it's as simple as that. You missed the main point, it's the $MONEY. No other candidates can compete against that War chest. The corruption of an incumbent, the special interest $MONEY, is the problem and should be the story.

The real story in Sacramento is a Howard Dean progressive (Julie Padilla) candidate with virtually nothing, running against the party Clintonista corporate special interest machine, that's the story. We want nothing to do with the Clintonista party machine. Do that story, please!

Thanks,

Andy

Andrew H. Dral