Section 7: Statements on Calaveras County Public Corruption

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

On May 28th I met with California State Treasurer Fiona Ma, at which time we explicitly discussed the substantial evidence I’ve compiled of malfeasance and corruption by Calaveras County officials and the shocking fact that all five district supervisors are presently under FPPC investigation and/or under Enforcement Division Warning Letters for campaign finance violations of the Political Reform Act. 

The actionable outcome of that recent discussion three weeks ago with State Treasurer Fiona Ma, following her expression of dismay concerning revelations of the FPPC investigations of all district supervisor’s financial misconduct, was her very specific guidance for me to directly escalate my evidence-backed allegations of Calaveras County government malfeasance to the California Attorney General’s Office and to the California State Controller’s Office.

Escalation to the California Attorney General’s Office and to the California State Controller’s Office, following State Treasurer Ma’s guidance, is now underway.

There is little, if any, precedent in the State of California for the entirety of a county’s Board of Supervisors to simultaneously be under investigation or warning by the FPPC’s Enforcement Division.

Calaveras County may stand alone in this ignominious distinction, a fact in the process of being confirmed for me by the FPPC.

Related to the persistent corruption of the Calaveras County government, and of the County’s immediate concern, is its Government Crime Policy with American International Group (AIG) is in jeopardy of cancellation or nonrenewal, due to my evidence-backed allegations of persistent collusion between the Calaveras County government and the Calaveras Visitors Bureau to intentionally deceive the taxpayers of Calaveras County by continuing to facilitate and fund a nonprofit corporation – the Calaveras Visitors Bureau – that persistently lies as to its legal type while under contract for funding with Calaveras County transient occupancy taxes.

Be assured I’ve already had initial conversations with AIG representatives concerning the misconduct of their policyholder, the Calaveras County government.

You certainly cannot reasonably defend your persistent misconduct or your deception of the Calaveras Visitors Bureau nonprofit corporation type to AIG.

Lastly, due to the dismissiveness, insolence and collusion of the Calaveras County government and the Calaveras Visitors Bureau in refusing to address what is clearly an intentional and persistent misrepresentation of the nonprofit’s legal type for Martin Huberty’s personal financial gain, I’m seeking investigation and revocation of the Calaveras Visitors Bureau’s 501(c)(6) tax-exempt status by the IRS for cause.

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

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

On June 30, 2023, I published to my website a forensic audit of 18 consecutive years of the Calaveras Chamber of Commerce’s IRS filings, titled “Calaveras County Chamber of Commerce Revenue/Expense Analysis,” revealing a near-two decade legacy of endemic fiscal negligence.

I also investigated and documented the Chamber’s $50K annual transient occupancy tax allocation, publishing the findings, titled 'Calaveras Supervisors Strain to Justify Chamber TOT Funding.' to my website on September 24, 2024. 

The Board of Supervisors asks us to believe two years of $50,000 Chamber allocations is to promote tourism in the west end of the county. 

My published reports document $100,000 in total TOT funding allocated to the Calaveras Chamber as being used to prop up a fiscally mismanaged business bureau.

The Chamber’s 2024 IRS Tax return reports total annual revenue of approximately $156,000, with $37,000 of that revenue received as TOT funding, and total expenses of $152,000, with $101,000 allocated to salaries and other compensation.

The Chamber generated more revenue as a landlord by subletting $23,508 in office space compared to revenue generation from annual dues and subscriptions, which totaled a mere $5,900. 

In 2024, the Chamber allocated a mere $1,738 to advertising and promotion while earning a paltry $190 in annual advertising revenue, revealing endemic marketing impotence. 

The 2024 IRS filing lacks a line item detailing where the TOT revenue was allocated for the promotion of tourism in the west end of the county.

As a partially publicly-funded entity, the Chamber is also derelict in failing to:

1. publish on its website its monthly meeting schedule, 
2. agenda items, 
3. meeting minutes, 
4. mission statement, 
5. applicable bylaws, 
6. annual expense and financial budgets and reports, 
7. strategic business development and marketing plans, 
8. and any accurate reporting of the allocation of annual TOT funding for its explicitly intended purpose of west end tourism promotion.

The Chamber has therefore forfeited its privilege of receiving funding in the 2025-26 fiscal year budget by its lack of transparency and misallocation of two years of TOT funding (Estimated at $100,000).

Continued TOT funding of the Chamber exacerbates the existing complaint being filed with the State Controller's Office regarding the fraudulent misrepresentation of the CVB’s nonprofit corporation type.

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

• Read the detailed September 2024 report: "Calaveras Supervisors Strain to Justify Chamber TOT Funding."
• Calaveras County Tourism has fallen off a cliff. Read the June 13, 2025 edition of the Calaveras County Government Watchdog, "An Open Letter About Fiduciary Duty to the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors, County Counsel, and County Executive Officer." https://calaveras2024election.com/f/calaveras-government-watchdog-cvb-fraudulent-misrepresentation 
• Did you know, according to the Calaveras County Chamber of Commerce website, "Our Chamber staff is here to assist you and help your business succeed!"? Reach the Calaveras County Chamber Staff and Board of Directors at this link and ask them, "What did you do with the $100,000 in transient occupancy tax revenue provided by the Calaveras County Government to promote tourism in the west end of the county?" https://www.calaveras.org/board-and-staff

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

The Calaveras Visitors Bureau is not a public benefit nonprofit corporation. There is no ambiguity in that statement.

The Calaveras Visitors Bureau is not a public benefit nonprofit corporation. 

That is a factual statement.

The Calaveras Visitors Bureau is not a public benefit nonprofit corporation.

Having now heard that unambiguous, factual statement three times in the last 30 seconds, is there any part of that declarative statement that any of you are incapable of comprehending?

Ms. Edwards? 

Ms. Hitchcock? 

Ms. Folendorf? 

Ms. Andahl? 

Mr. Tofanelli? 

Mr. Stopper? 

Mr. Huberty?

The Calaveras Visitors Bureau has been a mutual benefit nonprofit corporation since July 12, 2021.

Is there any part of that declarative statement that any of you are incapable of comprehending?

Ms. Edwards? 

Ms. Hitchcock? 

Ms. Folendorf? 

Ms. Andahl? 

Mr. Tofanelli? 

Mr. Stopper? 

Mr. Huberty?

The CVB is a mutual benefit nonprofit corporation subject to different laws and regulations.

I’ve previously articulated the numerous differences, so for Calaveras County and the CVB to contractually represent otherwise, after having been credibly advised and cautioned by me for two years, invites legal and financial consequences for each of you and your government careers.

All of you have been cautioned of this repeatedly – some of you for two years – yet this government and the CVB, led by executive director Martin Huberty and Board of Directors President Susan Weatherby, smugly persist in advancing Martin Huberty’s false CVB narrative for financial gain.

I’m disgusted by your collective arrogance. 

You intentionally deceive the public you are supposed to be ethically serving.

The Tourism Promotion Agreement between Calaveras County and the CVB, dated July 1, 2023 and signed on August 22, 2023, falsely claims the CVB to be a public benefit nonprofit corporation. 

Apparently, this government believes it is above the law. 

You are not above the law and will be held legally accountable for your collusion and corruption.

You’ve dismissed my legitimate concerns of your fiscal misconduct and cast me as a villain.

You’ve abused the power of your office and your authority.

Vote today to approve three hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the CVB for fiscal year 2025-26 and that misguided action will be countered by me seeking revocation of the CVB’s tax-exempt IRS status, cancellation of Calaveras County’s Government Crime Policy, escalation with the FPPC of claims of conflict of interests, criminal complaints with the District Attorney and the Office of the Attorney General, and presentation of cause for an audit conducted by the California State Controller’s Office.

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

The Calaveras Supervisors voted to approve the $350,000 in Calaveras Visitors Bureau funding triggering formal complaints to the IRS, California State Controller, Calaveras DA and California Office of the Attorney General.  

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

August 27, 2024, I addressed the issue of the animal shelter with a blog post at Calaveras2026Election.com called, 'Calaveras County Supervisors Commit to Inhumane Animal Treatment.' 

I am going to read some highlights from that... 

This board’s diversionary response and tactics distracts from the tragedy underlying a government riddled with public corruption and fiscal negligence, that for decades, has inhumanely treated generations of innocent, helpless, and wholly dependent animals in its custody.

There have been 12 grand jury reports since 2010. 

These grand jury reports and the Calaveras government has again squander the public’s goodwill and faith, spinning an illusion of hope you’d finally do the right thing for our vulnerable shelter animals. 

If not for the wonderful, dedicated volunteers from Gimme Shelter who tolerate the same deplorable conditions the animals are forced to survive in, the situation would be far more critical.

I found the Animal Shelter money, so follow along…

* Four point one six million dollars is already allocated.

* Terminate the LDA Partners contract and that’s a half million dollars.

* Put out a competitive bid for a revised, appropriately scaled animal shelter.

* Terminate ALL plans and funding for the DA’s new office building due to numerous allegations of her quid pro quo corruption and that’s six million dollars more.

* Next, fully defund the CVB and Chamber of Commerce of undeserved TOT revenue for another four hundred fifty thousand dollars annually.

Just like that… OVER eleven million dollars for a new, compassionate and caring Calaveras Animal Shelter.

I am trying to launch a national public relations campaign engaging preeminent animal rights organizations including PETA, focusing on nearly four decades of willful animal cruelty caused by an inhumane Calaveras government that refuses to prioritize funding due to its endemic corruption.

If anyone would like to help me out, I have 200 blog posts on my website regarding endemic corruption by this board. 

I am backordered 115 other blog posts. 

Shame on all of you." 

Christopher Buttner is the publisher of Calaveras2026Election.com. 

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

I recently read a courageous County Civil Grand Jury report.

The report documented that the county grand jury had performed its duty to the county’s citizens by investigating complaints of misrepresentation of information to and from the Board of Supervisors, investigating complaints of differential treatment by senior county administration, investigating complaints about hiring practices in county government, as well as having investigated other materially related concerns.

Unfortunately, this was not Calaveras County’s 2024-2025 Civil Grand Jury report I was reading.

I was reading neighboring Tuolumne County’s 2024-2025 Civil Grand Jury report.

The report presented a detailed description of a “type of Grand Jury Investigation called a Carry-Over Investigation” that the Grand Jury had completed.

The Grand Jury’s report summarized a Carry-Over Investigation in the following manner, “...when a prior Grand Jury provides information in the form of complaints, documentation or interview notes on a topic that the Grand Jury was not able to adequately investigate or complete a report about.”

The Grand Jury report continued, “...a Grand Jury would not be able to complete and investigate a topic for many reasons; the most common reason would be that each Grand Jury is only empaneled for one year. Whatever does not get finished within that time frame must either be dropped or carried over for the next Grand Jury… The major issue with a Carry-Over investigation is that the new Grand Jury must start from scratch and must conclude and publish in one year. If any information was provided, this Grand Jury would have to do the entire investigation again; use of prior witness statements is strictly prohibited.”

Reading about Carry-Over Investigations directed my concerns to the eight complaints I’ve filed during the 2023-2024 and the 2024-2025 Calaveras County Grand Jury terms; I’ve seen no evidence of any of my complaints having been considered or investigated.

As the 2025-2026 Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury empanels and begins reviewing complaints it will consider, I urge the jurists to take a courageous step, as neighboring Tuolumne County’s Grand Jury has, by attempting to bring accountability, integrity and transparency into local government.

The 2025-2026 Calaveras County Civil Grand Jury may expect to receive continuing calls and demands for a credible, unbiased investigation of the business practices of the Calaveras County administration and the Board of Supervisors.

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

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

Two years ago, in July 2023, I investigated and published a detailed report alleging an irrationally and irresponsibly sited Tesla Supercharger Electric Vehicle Charging Station (EVCS for short), located in Arnold, in District 3, that poses an extraordinary, yet avoidable, threat of a catastrophic wildfire to our wildland urban interface communities.

This potential firebomb of manmade origin was, allegedly, negligently sited in an extremely vulnerable location, in distressingly close proximity to densely forested neighborhoods, large capacity propane tanks (picture below), and unregulated traffic at the fringes of the approximate 900,000 acre Stanislaus National Forest and 4.1 miles east from one of the most pristine and majestic groves of giant redwoods on Earth – Calaveras Big Trees State Park.

Facts and concerns stated in my report have evidently been dismissed by the entirety of the Calaveras County government for two years, so I shared the facts and concerns of my report beyond Calaveras County with State officials and agencies to break through the resistance and bureaucratic insolence. 

My efforts resulted in a strong expression of interest by a senior staffer to a member of the California legislature, informing me that the local hazard I had identified and documented at the Arnold electric vehicle charging station bore some striking similarities to previously documented hazard concerns related to two other Tesla Supercharger installations elsewhere in that legislative district, having been independently documented to the legislator’s office by CAL FIRE Unit chiefs.

I was encouraged by the staffer to further research overlapping points of hazard concern common to the three Tesla Supercharger installations.

I now ask you for your commitment, as the president and CEO of the Rural County Representatives of California, to partner with me and waste no time in urging the Boards of Supervisors of its member counties to 1) ensure existing Tesla Supercharger installations are safe, secure and as fire hazard-free as possible and 2) review their county permitting processes in order to ensure the inclusion of local and regional fire officials in the permitting and approval process for all future non-residential Tesla Superchargers and similar EVCS installations and facilities.

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

Read the report: Tesla Supercharger Poses Central Sierra Wildfire Threat. Irresponsibly sited Tesla Supercharger poses wildfire threat to Calaveras County communities and wilderness. 

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

On June 24, I explicitly cautioned this Board of Supervisors that a misguided vote to approve three hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the Calaveras Visitors Bureau for fiscal year 2025-26 would be countered by me seeking revocation of the CVB’s IRS 501(c)(6) tax-exempt status.

A tax-exempt organization complaint referral was submitted to the IRS seeking an investigation to corroborate allegations of the CVB’s misuse and abuse of its tax-exempt 501(c)(6) status, as a precursor to revocation of the CVB’s tax-exempt status for persistently and willfully violating the laws and rules governing mutual benefit nonprofit corporations; those laws and rules differing significantly from those of a public benefit nonprofit corporation in mission, permissive activity, political activity, taxation, fundraising, and other significant aspects.

The IRS was informed that the CVB, a mutual benefit nonprofit corporation since July 12, 2021, willfully and persistently misrepresents its legal designation as being a public benefit nonprofit corporation to the County of Calaveras, and as a nonprofit association to the City of Angels Camp.

The CVB has not been a nonprofit association since April 2000, at which time it incorporated as a public benefit nonprofit corporation.

The IRS was informed of significant supporting evidence of the CVB allegedly having persistently and willfully engaged in deceptive business practices by its yearslong intentional misuse and concealment of its tax-exempt 501(c)(6) designation as a mutual benefit nonprofit corporation, willfully and persistently contractually misrepresenting its legal designation as being a public benefit nonprofit corporation to the County of Calaveras and as a nonprofit association to the City of Angels Camp, and that the leadership of the CVB willfully and persistently refuses to address this contractual misrepresentation with the County of Calaveras and the City of Angels Camp, its two largest benefactors of public funds representing the source of approximately 90% of the CVB’s annual operating funding having been allocated from transient occupancy tax funds.

The IRS was informed the CVB’s persistence in engaging in a pattern of willfully misrepresenting its legal designation allegedly causes harm to the public interest, financial harm to the community, and potentially harm to any non-governmental donors to who may have been induced by the CVB’s willful and persistent misrepresentation of its nonprofit corporation type.

This pattern of misrepresentation potentially caused non-governmental donors to erroneously believe that their donations were tax-deductible, leaving those donors vulnerable to IRS penalties.

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

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

There are multiple questions concerning transparency and accountability I’ll now direct for consideration by the County Executive Officer, County Counsel and the five District Supervisors, as well as the Executive Director of the Calaveras Visitors Bureau, all seated before me, to be included in this meeting’s record.

These questions pertain to the CVB, its Board of Directors and its Executive Director, and the CVB’s annual allocation of funding of hundreds of thousands of dollars from Calaveras County’s transient occupancy taxes.

It is well established that the CVB changed its legal designation from a public benefit nonprofit corporation to a mutual benefit nonprofit corporation in July 2021. 

Not established or explained is:

• Why, and for what benefit, did the CVB change its legal designation from public benefit nonprofit corporation to mutual benefit nonprofit corporation in July 2021? 
• Who instigated the change? 
• Why did the CVB persistently fail to notify Calaveras County’s government of its nonprofit corporation’s changed legal designation?
• Why does the CVB perpetuate its misrepresented funding agreement with the Calaveras County government under the pretense of the CVB being a public benefit nonprofit corporation when, in fact, the CVB had changed its legal designation to mutual benefit nonprofit corporation in July 2021?

Chairperson Huberty is the individual best positioned to respond to these questions since, in addition to him being the District 3 Supervisor, he concurrently serves as the Executive Director of the CVB – legally burdening him with administrative responsibility for ensuring accuracy and truthfulness of the CVB’s records.

Other troubling, unanswered questions include:

Why did Calaveras County experience a staggering reported combined loss of 340 tourism jobs between 2023 and 2024, and a reported loss of 4.6 million dollars in direct earnings from tourism between 2023 and 2024? (Read the August 8, 2025 Calaveras County Watchdog Report: What Lead to Calaveras County's Now Crippling Tourism Downturn?). 

• Who at the taxpayer-funded CVB is responsible for ensuring timely publishing of the CVB’s annual budgets – absent from public view since 2018; 
• or ensuring timely publishing of Board of Directors agendas – absent from public view since June 2019; 
• or Board of Directors meeting minutes – absent from public view since November 2024; 
• or ensuring transparency by publishing accurate and timely bylaws – instead of having stalled for three years only then to produce and publish erroneous bylaws for a mutual benefit nonprofit corporation?

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

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

I’ve admonished this government dozens of times in the last two and a half years concerning its lack of accountability, transparency, ethics and integrity. 

To no avail, I’ve urged this government to address its shortcomings and its blatant corruption.

Not once has this government publicly refuted any of my allegations of its blatant malfeasance, incompetence, corruption, violations of the Brown Act, or perpetual collusion with business bureaus in providing unwarranted public funding by its misallocation of limited transient occupancy taxes at the expense of public safety.

Calaveras County’s government is intentionally unaccountable to its citizens.

I understand the consequences of how a diminished functional press creates the illusion that all is well in the government and community. 

One unfortunate reason this government persistently gets away with its incompetence and endemic corruption is because the Calaveras Enterprise, a substandard newspaper running scared of ceasing publication, fails miserably in performing accountability journalism as its Fourth Estate watchdog responsibility to be an essential check-and-balance to government malfeasance.

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

I’ve admonished this government dozens of times in the last two and a half years concerning its lack of accountability, transparency, ethics and integrity. 

To no avail, I’ve urged this government to address its shortcomings and its blatant corruption.

Not once has this government publicly refuted any of my allegations of its blatant malfeasance, incompetence, corruption, violations of the Brown Act, or perpetual collusion with business bureaus in providing unwarranted public funding by its misallocation of limited transient occupancy taxes at the expense of public safety.

Calaveras County’s government is intentionally unaccountable to its citizens.

I understand the consequences of how a diminished functional press creates the illusion that all is well in the government and community. 

One unfortunate reason this government persistently gets away with its incompetence and endemic corruption is because the Calaveras Enterprise, a substandard newspaper running scared of ceasing publication, fails miserably in performing accountability journalism as its Fourth Estate watchdog responsibility to be an essential check-and-balance to government malfeasance.

Consider these disturbing facts:

In neighboring Amador County, the Chief Assistant DA is facing a sexual harassment lawsuit. 

In Mariposa County, the DA resigned over allegations of methamphetamine purchases and abuse of power, threatening his dealer with the weight of office.

In Stanislaus County, the Board of Supervisors earlier this year approved a $22.5 million settlement for a retaliatory investigation conceived by the Stanislaus DA’s office.

In San Joaquin County, the DA accused his predecessor’s administration of fraud.

In Calaveras County, the DA’s office allowed a pedophile priest to slip away without consequence, is failing to investigate an adjudicated pedophile employed in the Murphys hospitality industry, and failed to investigate several members of the Board of Supervisors for their financial malfeasance. 

This is not guilt by association, this is guilt by demonstrated behaviors.

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

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

On September 11, the Board of Supervisors Chair will deliver the 2025 State of Calaveras County address.

In contrast to the positive spin the Chair will most likely present, I’ll provide you now with several preemptive rebuttal points.

Let’s call it the 2025 State of Calaveras County Ethics, Competency, Transparency, Accountability and Corruption Report.

To summarize…

Calaveras County, despite its many virtues enjoyed by its residents and visitors – longtime and new – with its natural beauty and resources being a bountiful, but underutilized, economic asset, finds its economic growth thwarted.

Why is that?

I allege that its economic growth is thwarted by ethically challenged leadership in government and the principal business and tourism promotion bureaus.

How can we entrust our annual county budget of several hundred million dollars to all of you, when the four longest-serving district supervisors allegedly have dozens of campaign finance violations of the Political Reform Act – years-old – and you are either the subjects of open investigations by the Enforcement Division of the California Fair Political Practices Commission or have already received, at minimum, an FPPC Warning Letter?

Why does this administration continue to ignore the fact that the Calaveras Visitors Bureau has, since 2021, perpetuated the misrepresentation of its mutual benefit nonprofit corporation designation?

Who is responsible within county government for ignoring the fact that County Counsel remains derelict in this matter, exposing the government to allegations of it being complicit with the CVB’s alleged intentional misrepresentation of its mutual benefit nonprofit corporation designation and misallocation of transient occupancy taxes, jeopardizing county finances?

Is it the CEO or the Board of Supervisors?

Where is your plan and execution to credibly address our recovery from the multi-year economic stagnation that contributed to the staggering reported loss of 340 tourism-related jobs in 2023 and 2024, or from the reported 4.6 million dollars lost in direct tourism earnings between 2023 and 2024?

Have you considered the legal ramifications of the County Counsel, the County CEO, the District Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff’s Office continuously ignoring a citizen's credible, evidence-backed allegations of misconduct concerning county government leadership?

Is it acceptable that in a span of ten months two of our Calaveras Superior Court judges, one current (Calaveras County Superior Court Judge Timothy Healy) and one former, (former Commissioner Bradley W. Sullivan) were publicly admonished by the California Commission on Judicial Performance for repeated and numerous displays of judicial misconduct?

Members of this ethically challenged government have invited undesired scrutiny at the State level.

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

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