Section 5: Statements on Calaveras County Public Corruption

"My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com.  

This first Regular Meeting of the newly-composed (Calaveras County) Board of Supervisors represents an orchestrated stress test, by the four incumbent Supervisors, of Supervisor Andahl’s susceptibility and willingness to join her four new colleagues in their established, corrupt voting block and pattern.  

CEO Hitchcock, thus far you’ve been largely spared from my interrogations. 

This is partly because your Board of Supervisors has provided a perpetual flow of malfeasance – and it is partly because you’ve been given fair and ample opportunities to put your stamp upon this government as you near completion of your second year of service.  

As an observant citizen, my two-year grade of your performance and your demonstrated competence in the role of CEO is a D- and plummeting.  

How is it that you sat beside Stopper during the November 26th meeting and did not advise him or insist that he stop texting like a teenager from the dais during open session?  

Teresa, it’s now time to exercise the exit clause in your employment contract. 

At your annual salary of two hundred and twelve thousand dollars, Calaveras citizens deserve a County Executive Officer that provides disciplined leadership and oversight of the elected governing body.  

Now that three of the four returning Supervisors – Huberty, Folendorf and Tofanelli – are under open and pending California Fair Political Practices Commission cases for a range of violations of the Political Reform Act, including failure to file factual and timely campaign finance statements, failure to disclose conflicts of economic interests, and in the State’s open case investigating Folendorf, the disposition of almost eighty five hundred dollars in missing union campaign contributions to her 2020 campaign, your turn is coming Ben (Stopper - District 5).  

I anticipate that the FPPC complaint I initiated against you will soon be a publicly visible State case. 

At that time, all four incumbent Supervisors – Huberty, Folendorf, Tofanelli and Stopper – would be under open and pending FPPC cases for the previously cited violations of the Political Reform Act, potentially paralyzing this government and requiring immediate State intervention to provide some manner of interim provisional governance.

Additionally, Ben, if an investigation of allegations of your conflict of economic interests for unreported business activities with one of your favored constituents proves accurate, you’ll be the respondent to a sworn complaint for a violation of California Government Code Section 1090. 

The absurdity of Huberty and Stopper having just been respectively elected as 2025 Chair and Vice-Chair, reflects the ethical bankruptcy of this government which will lead to its inevitable reputational and financial bankruptcy.  

My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com."

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"My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com.   

The following statement is to be entered, in whole, into the public record and become part of the official minutes of this meeting, with me identified by name, Christopher Buttner, as having registered my opposition to the board’s approval today of Action Item 16 - Human Resources (ID #8351) Approve appointment of a candidate in the Sheriff's Department pursuant to County Code Section 2.64.645 - Employment of Family Member. Item 16 was moved to Items Removed from Consent Agenda.   

The agenda item Discussion/Summary states that - QUOTE - Every effort was made to recruit for the position of Deputy Sheriff I/II, in which the family member is being employed. - END QUOTE.   

“Every effort” is a vague, yet declarative and hyperbolic statement. 

It needs to be substantiated with hard facts and documentation for review, otherwise it is just fluff concealing nepotism.  

Prove it. 

Prove that QUOTE - EVERY EFFORT WAS MADE TO RECRUIT. - END QUOTE.   

That documentation needs to be provided for review by the five members of the Board of Supervisors prior to their vote to determine whether, in fact, QUOTE - EVERY EFFORT WAS MADE TO RECRUIT - END QUOTE.    

The agenda item Discussion/Summary states that, QUOTE - The candidate is an experienced lateral hire and will not have to attend the academy. - END QUOTE.  

In what department within Calaveras County government is this “lateral hire” family member currently working, and what prior experience as a Deputy Sheriff I/II does this individual have that they will not have to attend the academy?

That is a reasonable question to be asked and answered. 

What is their name?  

That, too, is a reasonable question to be asked and answered.  

Continue Agenda Item 16 for further consideration, once the questions I’ve presented here have been adequately and transparently addressed for the public.  

The majority of the members of this (Calaveras County) Board of Supervisors are now individually under active State investigations for numerous allegations of financial impropriety with their campaign finance filings, with Supervisor Gary Tofanelli as the newest member joining the Open and Pending FPPC Case Club for numerous violations – allegedly – of the Political Reform Act…  

This would be a good time for this board to open its eyes – collectively – and realize that you folks better start playing by the straight and narrow right now.  

Full transparency would be a great start of this 2025 new year. 

Let it begin today.   

My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com."  

Agenda Item 16 passed with a 5-0 vote. 

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"My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com.   

The following statement is to be entered, in whole, into the public record and become part of the official minutes of this meeting, with me identified by name, Christopher Buttner, as having registered my opposition to the board’s approval today of Item 17. Approve appointment of an extra-hire candidate in the District Attorney's Office pursuant to County Code Section 2.64.645 - Employment of Family Member. Item 17 was moved to Items Removed from Consent Agenda. 

The agenda item Discussion/Summary states that - QUOTE - This is an urgent placement and will be filled on a temporary basis by an extra hire. - END QUOTE.   

“Urgent Placement” is a declarative statement of an immediate need having arisen, therefore, this urgency for placement must be substantiated with hard facts and documentation for review, otherwise, as noted in my opposition to Agenda Item 16, it is more fluff concealing nepotism.  

Prove that this placement is urgent.  

Substantiate the urgency and the reason or reasons for it.   

Is District Attorney (Barbara) Yook under pressure to establish a public integrity unit in her office to investigate endemic Calaveras County government corruption?   

Is this “urgent placement” in response to District Attorney Yook having numerous new sworn complaints filed in December against her and her office with both State and Federal law enforcement agencies for negligence of oath of office, breach of the public trust, quid pro quo corruption, selective law enforcement, civil and constitutional rights violations, as well as abuse of discretion?  

Is this “urgent placement” in response to District Attorney Yook anticipating time and resource consuming interactions with any or all of the following agencies? 

The 2024-2025 Calaveras County Grand Jury, State Bar of California, California Attorney General, California Civil Rights Department, the US Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the Fair Political Practices Commission.  

And, in what department within Calaveras District Attorney’s Office will this family member currently work?

...and what prior experience does this person have to meet this urgent requirement for placement?

...and what is this individual’s name?  

All are reasonable questions that need to be transparently answered. 

Continue Agenda Item 17 for further consideration, once the questions I’ve presented here have been adequately and transparently addressed for the public.  

As noted in agenda item 16, this would be a good time for you folks to realize that you’d better start playing by the straight and narrow right now.  

My name is Christopher Buttner, publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com."   

Agenda Item 17 passed with a 5-0 vote.    

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