When District 2 Board of Supervisor candidate Anthony Freitas
checked his phone messages Saturday evening he was shocked to hear
a recorded message spouting what he believed to be disparaging
remarks about himself from someone he didn’t know.
Hollister – When District 2 Board of Supervisor candidate Anthony Freitas checked his phone messages Saturday evening he was shocked to hear a recorded message spouting what he believed to be disparaging remarks about himself from someone he didn’t know.
He believes the message was paid for by his opponent, Anthony Botelho’s campaign, as a way to sway voters late in the election. Botelho adamantly denies any personal involvement, but said it’s possible a group of his supporters paid for it without telling him. Botelho also said he would have tried to stop the message had he knew about it.
The recording stated it was a free San Benito County survey, and asked people to press ‘one’ if they would still vote for Freitas or ‘two’ to support Botelho after listening to the following:
“Anthony Freitas has switched positions three times on the proposed Indian casino, wants to build a six-lane super highway through the San Juan Valley, voted for large-scale development, takes thousands of dollars from pro-growth interests and had conflicts of interest while on the planning commission,” the recording said. “Knowing these facts, which candidate do you support for supervisor?”
Freitas was disappointed to hear the message after both candidates agreed at the beginning to run a clean campaign, he said.
“Everybody’s said, ‘Gee, we wish the presidency would have been run like this.’ Two guys running a good, clean campaign,” Freitas said. “But I think this one right here, if I was in the ring and I was boxing, this one was below the belt. And they took me off to the side right now and I’m trying to recoup.”
Botelho said he also heard it on Saturday, but erased it after listening to only part of the message.
“I have no clue who paid for it. There’s a lot of mysteries in this county. It does sound like a campaigning thing – I’m happy somebody’s still on my side,” Botelho said. “I’m just happy this race is coming to an end because the good-naturedness is quickly dissipating.”
Registrar John Hodges said the county did not issue the survey.
“The Board of Supervisors, the administration office, John Hodges and the elections office has nothing to do with that,” Hodges said.
Freitas believes the recording could have been a “desperate” move by Botelho to grab some last minute votes.
“Do you need to do that to win an election?” Freitas said. “Do you?”
Freitas said all of the statements in the recording are false. He said he’s never flip-flopped on the proposed casino and that he does not support a six-lane highway through the San Juan Valley.
Freitas received campaign contributions from local contractor Paul Wattis, who donated $1,500 in 2003 and 2004, according to the campaign finance forms. Wattis placed bids with San Benito County for several roadway construction contracts within recent years, totaling $1.3 million since 2000, according to the county auditor’s office.
Freitas said his treasurer knows Wattis and that Wattis received the contracts because he offered the lowest bid to the county.
“That’s how things are done in the county. You don’t do favors for anybody,” he said. “He put in a bid like anybody else.”
He said the conflict of interest statement stemmed from a vote he cast as a planning commissioner regarding the San Juan Oaks golf and housing resort. His two adult sons worked at San Juan Oaks – one as the grounds director and the other as a salesperson in the pro shop – and he voted to approve the project because it was “something good in this community,” Freitas said.
Before voting, Freitas asked the California Fair Political Practices Commission if he had a conflict of interest and the FPPC sent a letter on June 4, 2003, stating he did not.
The FPPC gave Freitas the go-ahead to vote because his two sons would not receive any direct financial gain from the approval of the project, according to the FPPC’s letter.
“I’m not here to be a crybaby,” Freitas said. “I think its important for the voters to know its unethical. The opening statement says a free survey from San Benito County, and that is not right. Trickery.”
Botelho said if he had known about the message he would have stopped it because he would have been upset if he was on the receiving end of the message.
Nonetheless, he doesn’t believe the message was “below the belt.” Botelho said Freitas changed positions on the casino issue and never said he was against making Highway 156 a six-lane highway through the San Juan Valley.
“Politics are a tough game, and sometimes things are said or misrepresented. It’s something that goes with the territory,” Botelho said. “I did not pay for it, but I kind of like the fact that somebody supports me enough to support me on the side.”
Erin Musgrave covers public safety for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or em*******@fr***********.com
