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STOCKTON, CA – Politics can get dirty, but Josh Harder and his political allies have taken it to a new level with a "fact-free" smear campaign of San Joaquin County Supervisor Tom Patti.
Unfortunately for Harder, his fictional storyline blew up today when the Board of Supervisors overwhelmingly rejected a politically motivated report designed to smear Patti and derail his surging campaign by voting not to censure Patti. Patti's attorney informed the Board, "the investigation violated Patti's due process rights."
None of the witnesses cited in the repot were under oath, and virtually everything in the report was hearsay. Most strikingly, the investigator never even interviewed Tom Patti. Nonetheless, at least one Supervisor, for obvious political motives, sought to censure Patti based solely on the manufactured accusations, which would have been a clear violation of basic due process rights.
"I am glad that the Board saw this for what is was: a political hit job designed to benefit my opponent Josh Harder," Patti said. "Their political stunt failed. Now maybe we can talk about the real issues affecting San Joaquin County residents - rising crime, rampant homelessness and crushing inflation."
The political nature of the attack could not have been more obvious. Almost immediately after the sham accusations were made, Harder put up a billboard declaring, "Supervisor Tom Patti Under Investigation for Bribery."
"Harder has no shame, but fortunately the truth usually wins out in the end," Patti said. "The allegation of bribery stemmed from Josh Harder's team, but it was found unsubstantiated by the investigator. Shame on Josh Harder for lying to voters and wasting taxpayer dollars on a sham investigation that he knew was false on day one."
"Josh Harder owes me, my family, and San Joaquin taxpayers an apology," Patti concluded.
Unfortunately, this isn't the first time Josh Harder has been caught lying to voters. Just last week, the Sacramento Bee called Harder out for his claims that Patti voted to increase the gas tax. Per their "fact check," The Sac Bee rightfully noted that the gas tax was passed by the California legislature, which is controlled by Democrats. As a sitting Supervisor in Joaquin County, Patti would have never had the authority to vote for such a bill. Voters need to be aware that Josh Harder will say anything to get elected.
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