Harding Strikes Back

Ron Harding, the current Mayor of Yelm, struck back at his critics, singling out JZ Knight, with a letter to the Nisqually Valley News. The Mayor’s letter was printed in the paper, but not featured online.
Harding called a full page paid ad placed in last weeks paper as “standard propaganda” and claims “There’s a lot of misinformation out there” but not giving any specifics or additional information. There is no reference to the article in the Olympian last week which seemed to cover alot of the points from JZ Knight’s press release and ad.

Mayor calls Knight ad misleading
Yelm officials this week called a full-page ad placed in the Nisqually Valley News by channeler JZ Knight “standard propaganda.”

Posted Nov 28, 2008
By Megan Hansen
Nisqually Valley News

Yelm officials this week called a full-page ad placed in the Nisqually Valley News by channeler JZ Knight “standard propaganda.”

The paid advertisement, which appeared in last week’s newspaper as well as the Nisqually Valley Shopper, responds to a decision made in Thurston County Superior Court regarding Knight’s appeal of five Yelm subdivisions.

Mayor Ron Harding denounced the ad in a letter to the editor published in this week’s edition.

“Normally I don’t engage in the back and forth,” Harding said. “There’s a lot of misinformation out there.”

“I wanted the community to know that their elected officials are doing what’s right.”

The court’s decision requires the city to prove potable water at final plat approval and give Knight special notice when water is issued in those developments.

“Knight and her handlers have employed many tactics to impact the progress of our city,” Harding said in his letter. “The latest strategy is to challenge the city on water issues. Knight’s money and influence have been used in attempts to manipulate public policy.”

Former mayoral candidate Steve Klein, a spokesman for Knight, declined to comment Tuesday.

Though told what the letter says, Klein said he could not comment without reading the letter itself.

“The matter is far from resolved, despite what Knight’s ad may say,” Harding said in his letter. “Our democratic process is still at work.”

“The most recent court ruling is just another step in the progression to resolution and the basic issue of water rights is still in question.”

Harding said he doesn’t want to get into a big public debate over the water issue and Knight’s court case, but claimed there was too much information in the ad that he believes is misleading and false.

“She (Knight) effectively wants the city to reserve water for her use sometime in the future,” Harding said in his letter.

“The latest court decision has elevated Knight above the rest of our citizens by requiring special notification on projects just for her benefit.”

Tags: JZKnight, RonHarding