Breakdown Episode 7 News Edition for July 2021

This weeks episode covers events from the Month of July related to the Recall of Shasta County Supervisors as well as other newsworthy items.

Transcript:

Hello, and welcome to The Breakdown: News Edition with Benjamin Nowain for the month of July 2021. This episode is going to be an overview of events that occurred during the month of July and will not feature a breakdown subject. So let's get right to the weekly.

July 12: Carlos Zapata's Arraignment

On Monday, July 12th, Carlos Zapata, Red, White, and Blueprint co-founder and recall supporter, attended his arraignment for the alleged May 5th assault on Nathan Pinkney, which I've referenced in video footage in past episodes of The Breakdown. Carlos pleaded not guilty. His next court date is on August 9th.

July 17: Supervisor Mary Rickert Speaks on KCNR

On July 17th, District 3 Supervisor Mary Rickert was a guest on the KCNR radio program Common Ground, where she made a statement regarding the June 29th Shasta County Supervisor Board meeting. Supervisor Rickert noted that the leader of Recall Shasta, Elissa McCuen, did not speak out during public comment prior to the budget vote:

At the July 20th board meeting, Elissa issued this response:

Elissa asserts that she was simply waiting to see what the board would do, and that their vote ultimately to pass the budget confirmed her thoughts on county misspending. This is notable due to the fact that the recall proponents repeatedly state that the main reason for the recall is due to financial mismanagement. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to expect McCuen to speak prior to budgetary decisions.

July 21: Nurses Rally for Better Working Conditions

A registered nurse with the Shasta Regional Medical Center, Michelle Gaffney, shared with The Breakdown that on June 21st, local registered nurses, as members of the National Nurses United, were holding a national day of action to demand their employers address problems highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic and prioritize patient safety and workplace protections.

In addition to voicing their concerns regarding staffing issues, they are also demanding better personal protective equipment (PPE), as many nurses are told to reuse PPE, like N95 masks, for multiple shifts, and in some instances have not been given any at all. For more information, please visit nationalnursesunited.org.

July 20: Reading City Council Introduces Medical Fee

At the July 20th Reading City Council meeting, an ordinance was approved that would charge members of our community a $326 fee if they are treated or assessed by the Reading Fire Department. According to the Reading Fire Department, they receive approximately 15,000 service calls annually, with about 65% of those being medical-related calls. Based on those values, the City could expect to make close to $400,000 annually with the fee, which would then be disbursed to the General Fund.

A member of the community has expressed their concern that this fee is essentially a targeted tax that would mostly affect the medically vulnerable population, and that the waiver stipulation will add administrative duties to the Fire Chief as well.

Anthem Blue Cross Drops Coverage

Shasta County residents who have Anthem Blue Cross medical insurance are reporting that they are receiving letters stating that they would no longer be accepted as in-network coverage. In a statement, Robert Quinn, the President and CEO of Dignity Health Medical Foundation, said:

Fundraiser and Campaign Finance Questions

On July 8th, Carlos Zapata shared an advertisement for a bull-riding fundraiser on Facebook. I sought to mention it because in a comment on the post, someone asked what the fundraiser was benefiting. Carlos responded:

This is important because the Red, White, and Blueprint is registered as a private LLC, and Recall Shasta General Purpose Committee is registered as a political action group. While LLCs are not subject to political campaign finance laws, political action groups are. If they were sharing funds between the two, then Red, White, and Blueprint may have to provide transparency into their finances, which to date they have not provided.

Both Recall Shasta and the Red, White, and Blueprint are currently under investigation by the FPPC for alleged violations of campaign finance laws. It is also important to note that on July 14th, Carlos seemed to walk back his previous statement in a post where he suggested that proceeds from the fundraiser would go to charity efforts of the audience's choosing.

Proud Boys and Local Vandalism

On July 1st, when it was made public that Carlos would be charged for the alleged assault on Nathan Pinkney at the Market Street Blade and Barrel, the Red, White, and Blueprint Facebook page put out a public call to action for a courthouse protest during his arraignment to oppose legal action against Carlos. Among those who attended were known members of a group called the Proud Boys, designated as extremists by the FBI, labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, and classified as a terrorist organization by the Canadian government.

Shawn Schwaller, a teacher at Chico State and contributor to A News Café, identified one of the Proud Boys in attendance as Rick Smith from Auburn, California, roughly a three-hour drive from Reading. Rick is shown here with his wife Diane and here at a protest in Rocklin, California. Also pictured at the protest was a Proud Boy member identified as Robert Sunday from Sacramento, California. This suggests that the group traveled to our community specifically to show their support for Carlos.

In reference to the appearance of the Proud Boys at his arraignment, Zapata made a Facebook comment assuring people that the Proud Boys in attendance were "good men." Therefore, his acceptance of their support is not in question.

Also, on the same day of the Proud Boys appearance at the courthouse, a locally owned gift shop in Red Bluff called Wild Oak was vandalized. Their window, which displayed a Black Lives Matter sign, had been hit with a paintball, and a Proud Boys "State of Jefferson" sticker was placed over the sign. Wild Oak is just over a block away from the Palomino Room, which is owned by none other than Carlos Zapata. According to members of the Facebook group Thought You Should Know, the owners of the Wild Oak received an anonymous call stating that the caller had witnessed "Antifa and BLM." When the owners checked the caller ID, the name and number belonged to the aforementioned Proud Boy member, Robert Sunday.

Zapata’s Attorney's Statement

The July 12th protest in support of Carlos Zapata's arrest culminated in a statement made by his attorney, Joseph Tully:

And that's The Breakdown: News Edition for the month of July 2021.