People crowd into the Shasta County Board of Supervisor chambers after Supervisor Baugh opened the room in defiance of a board resolution, Jan. 2021. (Note Carlos Zapata on far right by chamber doors.) Photo by Steve DuBois.
For nearly two years, before media from around the country converged upon the North State to see the embarrassing political spectacle firsthand, the public comment periods during Shasta County Board of Supervisors meetings were like something out of a Robert’s Rules of Order nightmare. Complete pandemonium.
Threats of violence were leveled against county employees. Supervisors and county staff members were openly mocked and ridiculed. Shouts and hurled profanities made the chambers unfit for the faint of heart.
During this time, the meetings were sometimes so hysterical and unpredictable that they were unfit for schoolkids, even off limits for some supervisors’ own grandchildren to visit as a place to observe civics in action.
A News Cafe reported ad nauseum on the shenanigans from Day 1, to the point where many of us can recite the lowlights from memory: Carlos Zapata’s rant that went viral, Timothy Fairfield’s reference to nooses and bullets and Richard Gallardo’s attempted serial citizen’s arrest of multiple county employees.
Vladislav Davidzon routinely delivered unhinged verbal attacks, including one of the most egregious against Supervisor Mary Rickert during which, veins bulging in his neck, Davidzon yelled that Rickert was an unfit mother (she’s not), and that she has a homeless son (she doesn’t).
Vladislav Davidzon.
There were props and costumes, like the guy dressed like the Grim Reaper, and another dressed as a giant syringe, and Elissa McEuen’s bullhorn performance. Drama. So much drama.
What do we want? Liberty! When do we want it? NOW!!!
Nearly two years in, and we’re weary just thinking about it. Now, the more these events are reported by outside media as proof of our region’s insanity, the more horrified sane residents feel to live in the middle of, as R.V. Scheide so aptly describes it, Shasta County’s “shitnado”.
And there’s no greater North State shitnado than the Shasta County recall election, and the attempted recalls before that.
The recall votes are all tallied. Although the election still hasn’t been formally certified, it’s apparent that the recall election against District 2 Supervisor Leonard Moty will pass. Sometime soon Moty will be replaced by challenger Happy Valley School Board president Tim Garman, who beat out second place challenger Dale Ball by just 152 votes.
The last two board meetings since the Feb. 1 recall election have been a political purgatory of sorts. Moty, still the board’s official chair, has continued his supervisor meetings and duties, but he has not returned to the board chambers. Why should he?
That leaves one empty board seat until the election is finalized, which all but guarantees never-ending 2-2 votes until Garman’s swearing-in date, which may still be many weeks away.
From left, Dist. 1 Supervisor Joe Chimenti, Dist. 3 Supervisor Mary Rickert, Dist. 5 Supervisor Les Baugh, and Dist. 4 Supervisor Patrick Jones.
But until then, the four-person board is comprised of rancher and staunchly anti-recall vice-chair (now acting chair) District 3 Supervisor Mary Rickert; anti-recall businessman and notorious fence-sitter District 1 Supervisor Joe Chimenti; pro-recall pastor and wanna-be chair District 5 Supervisor Les Baugh; and rabidly pro-recall gun-store manager District 4 Supervisor Patrick Jones, beholden to a son-of-a billionaire who gave $100,000 to Jones’ campaign– the single largest private donation to any candidate in Shasta County history.
As word of the recall’s passage spread, media flocked to Shasta County to cover the news. Examples include the Los Angeles Times, Slate, The Nation, CNN, KQED, KPFA, KQED Political Breakdown, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Sacramento Bee, and I’ve probably forgotten some. (Apologies in advance for any paywalls. Oh, that all free press were truly free.)
A News Cafe was represented in a number of those stories, too, either via quotes, interviews, or hyperlinks.
Photo from The Nation, in which mask-wearing audience members Doni Chamberlain and ANC readers Frank Treadway and Lee Thomas attended a fall supervisors meeting.
On Feb. 8, noteworthy out-of-town reporters from CNN and the Washington Post were expected to observe the Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting, the first after the recall election.
There were rumors that the meeting would be packed with rowdy recallers, there to claim victory that Moty was gone.
But a funny thing happened during that meeting’s public comment period: not much. In fact, outside there were plenty of empty spots in the county parking garage. Plus, there were many available chairs inside the board chambers. While a few commenters gloated about Moty’s absence, and a few people in the crowd blurted out a few rude comments about Moty, the room had a subdued, pre-pandemic, uneventful air.
So quiet. It was almost as if the recallers all received telegrams before that meeting: USUAL BOS SHITSHOW CANCELLED STOP OUTSIDE MEDIA EXPECTED STOP BE ON BEST BEHAVIOR STOP
The biggest clue that something was off kilter came when blood-in-the-streets, we-know-your-name-we-know-your-dog’s-name, I’m-a-violent-guy, I’ve-seen-combat (did not) Carlos Zapata got up to speak.
He pulled out a paper and proceeded to read his speech, which is not his usual braggadocios, extemporaneous style:
Recall supporter Carlos Zapata reads his comments at the Feb. 8 2022 Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting.
“Good morning, supervisors, and thanks for being here. I don’t usually read a speech, but today I’m going to so I can make sure I get this right.
It’s been a hard-fought, contentious, fight. I congratulate all who were involved in the very difficult political process, we beat an adversary, not the enemy. Whether we like it or not, we’re all Americans. It’s not time to keep fighting, but to find a path forward, to a better Shasta County. Mr. Moty’s gone, and for that I’m very pleased, but I will not focus on what is done, but rather on the work ahead.
Lack of decorum will not get us where we want to be. Disrespect will not get us where we want to be. Name calling is not productive. Differences are okay, and nothing to fear. The people have spoken, and we will work with all people in the county that choose to participate in the process to build, to grow, and to create a county government that works for all, not just the victors.
Yelling at supervisors, and gloating in a victory, may feel good for a minute, and I’m not without fault here, but we could do better. We need can be better. Let’s be gracious in victory. We have an opportunity now, to show the rest of the country how good we can be. We cannot prove their narrative wrong, by continuing the vitriol. Power comes from intelligence. Screaming at the loser after a fight makes us look stupid, very unintelligent, and unable to do the things that we still badly want to accomplish.
All eyes are on us now, and we cannot afford to be uncivil. The time for activism is over, and the time for action is upon us. Mockery has no place here. Please stick to the agendized items, so that we can get down to the business of doing business. Thank you.
There are so many things to unpack here, and I’ll leave it up to greater minds than mine to offer up your insights and observations.
But three main things struck me about the letter. First, it didn’t sound like Zapata; almost as if it was written by someone else, or with liberal input from someone else.
Second, what a load of horse manure.
Third, does he think nearly two years’ of Zapata’s violent rhetoric can be cancelled by one gas-lighted phony-baloney message?
It’s clear from his statement, “All eyes are on us now,” that he was aware that respected outside media was on the premises. Likewise, it’s obvious from when he said, “We have an opportunity now, to show the rest of the country how good we can be,” that he’s thinking about his precious Red, White and Blueprint legacy, and his desire to look like a true leader of a real movement.
No doubt he’s trying to make people forget that he’s an imposter with anger-management issues who lies about everything from being a combat veteran (he’s not) to whether he backhanded, spilled, splashed, dripped or dribbled water on Nathan Pinkney the night Zapata’s buddies assaulted the comic at the restaurant where Pinkney once worked as a sous chef.
Last, when Zapata says, “Screaming at the loser after a fight makes us look stupid, very unintelligent,” he shows his hand and hope for the world to see him as not stupid, and not unintelligent.
Too late. No way to un-ring that dumbbell.
Yesterday’s board of supervisors meeting felt much the same as the previous week’s with regard to the calmer atmosphere. Make no mistake, some of the regular cast of characters spoke during the comment period, such as stalwart State of Jeffersonians Terry and Sally Rapoza, and pretend citizen journalists Richard Gallardo and Lori Bridgeford, the latter of whom used the term, “medical rape” with regard to vaccines. Keepin’ it classy. Always.
But perhaps the most memorable portion of the meeting, at least in terms of the commenters, arrived when Garman, who ostensibly will be taking Moty’s seat on the dais soon, approached the lectern to discuss masks and schoolkids.
Garman, rumpled with disheveled hair and a black hoodie, looked like the anti-Moty. This was no statesman, but a man who had difficulty forming sentences.
Behold, after months of a recall process that destroyed a former Redding police chief’s elected political career and divided an entire county, Garman is the man who will replace Moty, a Notre Dame graduate and community pillar. How is this possible?
And when Garman was literally at a loss for words, and when he frowned and faltered, Bridgeford in the audience threw him a lifeline as she yelled out two words.
“Child abuse”
Garman turned and thanked her.
Yes, masks are child abuse.
Since the recall, on social media some factions of the North State recall movement have scrambled to take credit for successfully ripping Moty from his elected position for no good reason.
The women who dragged their kids outside in the smoky summer air for medical freedom rallies get the credit!
No, the gang of men with weapons get the credit!
Advertisement for Red, White and Blueprint merchandise shared by co-owner Carlos Zapata on his Instagram page. Furthest left is another co-owner Jon Knight and to the right of him is cast member Woody Clendenen.
Tuesday, a few female commenters made the point that they were not extremists, anarchists, militia members or white supremacists, but rather, just garden-variety moms and grandmothers backing the recall.
The thing is, while it’s probably true those moms are not in the militia, it’s a fact that well-recognized recall proponent Zapata, along with his Confederate-flag-loving barber-friend Woody Clendenen, and their white-pride-sign-flashing bestie Jon Knight, are all in the militia, along with many other militia members who support the recall.
These militia members are influencers and dog-whistle blowers. They’ve literally directed the narrative with the Red, White and Blueprint docuseries and podcasts. They’ve held recall fundraisers and organized debates. They’ve promoted the recall.
It’s also true that the Proud Boys came out in support of Zapata at his arraignment. And who is Zapata? A recall-promoter.
It’s also true that there are recallers who are white supremacists, and State of Jefferson pushers, and anti-vaxers, and anti-maskers and Trump-lovers who, if they answered honestly, will admit they believe the 2020 election was stolen, and they don’t recognize Joe Biden as their president.
The truth is, those soccer moms, grannies, militia members, white-pride flashers, 51rst-state dreamers, alt-righters, Christian Nationalists, and 2nd Amendment open-carry pushers believe in this recall. Really, Moty was a token. The recallers are all about the numbers: get the board to a 3-2 vote in the recallers’ favor. After that, they can have their way with Shasta County.
Together, even the so-called extremist Christians can agree with their motley group and insist that this recall’s outcome was free and fair. The truth is that this recall election wasn’t free, because it was bought and paid for by outside money from Reverge Anselmo, a Connecticut millionaire who’s seeking revenge for Shasta County grudges. Nor was this recall election fair. Yes, technically, the election itself was legal and handled flawlessly by Cathy Darling Allen, Shasta County Registrar of Voters. Even so, the recall’s entire premise was dirty as can be. I know so because I attended many months’ worth of protests and rallies in the last year, and heard with my own ears conversations like this:
Do you hate that your kids must wear masks to school?
Yes!
That’s why we want to recall Moty. Sign here.
Are you against hospitals requiring staff to be vaccinated or prove an exemption?
Yes!
That’s why we’re recalling Moty. Sign here.
Do you think it’s wrong for the governor to impose any pandemic mandates?
Yes!
That’s why we’re recalling Moty! Sign here.
Do you think government is too big?
Yes!
That’s why we’re recalling Moty. Sign here.
Do you think Moty is arrogant?
Yes!
That’s why we’re recalling Moty. Sign here.
Seriously. No exaggeration. Those kinds of leading, misinformed questions were how thousands of petition signatures were gathered.
And when I wandered through rallies and protests and occasionally asked random people to please cite just one reason why they believed Moty should be recalled, most could not come up with one factual reason. Not one.
‘We’re the sons of bitches in charge now’
Post-recall revisionist posturing is well underway, and the recall election hasn’t even been certified yet.
Zapata and his merry macho men have already taken to their podcasts to reframe the recall as something righteous and noble; a well-fought fight. They’re simultaneously casting blame and aspersions for some unsavory parts of the recall, while taking credit for sophisticated behind-the-scenes strategies and advanced planning light years beyond their collective IQs.
As with the recall lies that were told to entice dupid (duped and stupid) people to sign recall petitions, the recall masterminds are now lying about what they’ve done, who they are and what they believe. Luckily, they’ve left behind a trail of evidence to dispute their false claims.
Never forget when Zapata slammed his hand on a Palo Cedro restaurant table of a woman and her husband and yelled at her for daring to make the most benign negative comment about Zapata on Facebook.
Never forget that Zapata and his buddies bragged on one Red, White and Blueprint podcast about going to the trailer in which a mentally compromised man lived, someone who’d mouthed off to them, and they bullied and terrorized him by literally shaking his home and yelling threats to him.
Never forget that a jury found Zapata guilty of four of the five charges relating to the assault with his bully buddies upon Pinkney.
Never forget how disparaging Zapata and his podcast pals were to a well-respected Redding business woman who dared to say something negative about Zapata on social media, which earned her the label of a “fat cow”.
Never forget all the disgusting, violent, preposterous screengrabs, memes, audio clips, videos and statements we’ve published here; all that came directly from Zapata and his followers.
Never forget this 23-minute compilation video that shows Zapata, his friends and supporters, and what they’re really like.
Never forget how Zapata bragged, “We’re the sons of bitches in charge now.”
Finally, never forget the backwater, nasty, dishonest methods used to remove District 2 Supervisor Leonard Moty from office. In the Red, White and Blueprint drawing room, that’s one man down, many more men and women to go, like human dominoes, one after the other, without an iota of thought given to those people’s losses, livelihood, suffering and humiliation, or the consideration that some recall victims’ families — like Moty’s — have deep, multi-generational North State roots.
That, folks, is the Red, White and Blueprint in living color, in Shasta County, intended as an inspiration for counties across the country.
Before Shasta County suffers one more casualty, it’s time to run the Red, White and Blueprint through the shredder. It’s time to admit that Red, White and Blueprint is a fatally flawed plan created by a bunch of ignorant, power-hungry counterfeit cowboys posing as patriots, many of whom aren’t even from here. They’re ham-handed experts at tearing things down, but they haven’t a clue how to build things up or run a county.
Eventually, that’s what the world will realize about Red, White and Blueprint and its creators.
And what a superior story and better blueprint that will be.
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