The State Worker: Mysterious website calls unions 'the new California bandits'

The State Worker

Chronicling civil-service life for California state workers

June 29, 2012

Mysterious website calls unions 'the new California bandits'

A website of unknown origin has launched with a not-so-subtle invitation:

"LEARN THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SIX UNIONS THAT WANT TO RAISE YOUR TAXES AND KILL CALIFORNIA'S ECONOMIC RECOVERY!"

It's not clear who is behind the website. Bee Capitol Bureau colleague Torey Van Oot checked the registration for the site's domain name, thenewcaliforniabandits.com, which led to a Florida-based administrative contact, Domain Discreet Privacy Service.

The State Worker contacted California Republican Party spokeswoman Jennifer Kerns to see if the state GOP was behind the site.

"Nope, not us," Kerns said in an email. "I don't know who it is."

The anti-tax, anti-organized labor website blasts "the union plan" to raise taxes, calls out "union bosses" and publishes the pay of top officials for AFSCME, the California Federation of Teachers, the California Teachers Association, SEIU and the California Nurses Association.

The site gives similar treatment to the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, which was formerly the California chapter of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). The libral and politically active group isn't a union but has strong ties with labor.

Visitors to the website are invited to "Report a bandit!" And, of course, there are the usual buttons to share the site via social media.

The State Worker is continuing to investigate the website's source.

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