EDITORIAL – When Steve Montes was filing his papers to run for the Madera City Council I learned that the former Madera Redevelopment Agency staff member had a checkered criminal past. I also knew over a year ago that Madera City Councilman Will Oliver was arrested for driving under the influence a short time after his father passed away in 2015.
In the first case, the felony weapons conviction happened when Montes was very young, only eighteen years old. In the second, while it is no excuse, I could completely understand the mistakes of excess a relatively young man is likely to make when grieving for a parent. In both cases I did not feel writing about past indiscretions would lend anything to the issues of the campaign for the Madera City Council.
Then when I was putting together BVN’s endorsements for the Madera City Council races I learned that folks from the Montes campaign and one of Steve’s largest contributors, Khalid Chaudhry of Ripon, were spreading a booking photo from Mr. Oliver’s arrest.
When I showed Mr. Oliver my first draft of the endorsements it included Montes’ conviction and the 2015 expungement so he could work for the city of Fresno, Oliver asked me not to use it. Oliver said to me, “I don’t want to go dirty. If Steve does, that is up to him, but I am running a clean campaign.”
Well I guess Mr. Montes’ campaign has never heard the old adage advising against people in glass houses throwing stones. BVN has learned that this weekend the Madera Tribune and D.J. Becker are releasing a story in the Saturday edition which reportedly may also include a paid advertisement from Khalid Chaudhry featuring Mr. Oliver’s booking photo from that his arrest. Mr. Chaudrhry is the financial force behind the failed recall effort against Madera Mayor Andrew Medillian that took place last summer.
When I asked Madera Tribune publisher Chuck Doud why they would run the story now even though Ms. Becker did not consider the item newsworthy the week that it happened, he said that Ms. Becker claims not to have known about it. However, Ms. Becker had mentioned the incident to me back in 2016 when she was planning a story on the DUI arrest of former Madera County planning director Norm Allinder while driving a Madera County vehicle.
That story was killed by Chuck Doud, reportedly due to his reluctance to publish any negative stories on Madera County government because of all the money the Madera Tribune receives in county legal advertising. Yet, here it is, two weeks until Election Day and now Oliver’s situation is suddenly news?
Does Mr. Montes’ campaign supporter’s (and the Tribune) have an agenda? Yes but I think the agenda our community should be more concerned about is why Mr. Doud is treating the Tribune’s reputation so recklessly. Mr. Les Hayes, former managing editor for the Tribune spent his life building up the reputation of the newspaper that is now being wasted.
How many of you are now reading BVN because you are disgusted with the unethical actions of D.J. Becker, Chuck Doud and the Madera Tribune? More will be written about this in future articles.
Today my main point is that Madera voters would be better served to consider the experience and qualification both men have for the office they are seeking. If you feel the need to delve into their morals and motives, I suggest you compare the actions of each man’s supporters.
As for past indiscretions, Mr. Oliver has been remorseful since his DUI. He has completed all the court ordered classes, paid his fine and is, of course, paying a lot more on his insurance now. He also shared the arrest with his family, close friends, employer and some fellow council members at the time rather than trying to hide it or cover it up.
In comparison, Steve Montes used his high-powered friends to get the courts to seal his criminal record after it was expunged even though his situation should not have been eligible for that accommodation due to additional minor infractions and misdemeanors.
Taking all of this into consideration, BVN stands by the recommendation that you vote for Mr. Will Oliver for Madera City Council . Please note that we have not stooped to including a copy of Mr. Montes’ booking photo as part of this article.