Bad ads: Valadao cites false facts
Rep. David Valadao is running two attack ads on his opponent Emilio Huerta. After searching the sources in each ad, these are the facts.
The property in question was purchased in 1996 by the National Farm Workers Service Center to build low-income housing. The plan was opposed. The NFW offered the property for sale in 2003. Landmark Residential (Huerta and partners) purchased the land in 2004 for $1.8 million and sold it in 2005 to Ennis Homes for $2.9 million.
A 2006 Los Angeles Times article probed the 2004 NFW transaction. Attorney General Bill Lockyer investigated, finding “no basis to any of the allegations that we investigated under our charitable trust enforcement authority.”
The second ad quotes the opinion of Daniel Parra as proof of Huerta’s wrongdoing and adds a new allegation about Huerta as a defense attorney. According to a search of the 2002 Kern County Superior Court case No. CV247681, the number “did not match any documents” in the database.
As to the hourly lawyer fee, Huerta is said to charge is reasonable, according to Research.lawyers.com. If a viewer can check sources to separate facts from fiction, Valadao should do the same.
Mary E. Scully, Fresno
This story was originally published November 2, 2016 at 2:26 PM with the headline "Bad ads: Valadao cites false facts."