I’m Gene Forte, publisher of the Badger Flats Gazette (BFG). I and my family are the subject of death threats issued through a Los Banos High School student of Mayor Tommy Jones, Mr. Anthony Donaldson Bates.
It is my belief that an unbiased investigation will show that the death threats were done with the knowledge, direction, and influence of Jones. Due to information I exposed and submitted to the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), Jones was busted for taking bribes from Ranchwood Homes Developer Greg Hostetler. I organized a Recall against Jones and dared to report Jones’ arrest for the possession of crack cocaine in 1999 when Jones was a Los Banos City Councilman.
The Los Banos Police Department, LB City Council members, the Merced County District Attorney’s Offices, and even Judge Frank Dougherty of the Merced Superior Court bench are doing everything within their power to keep a lid on the matter.
The cover-up is aided by the silence of The Los Banos Enterprise that has not printed a word about the death threats to the public.
The attack of Jones and the LBPD upon my family is far reaching. My wife and I were forced by Ms. Connie McGhee, principal of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School, to remove our children from OLF because we were unwilling to provide a letter saying that the death threats did not exist.
I submit that the irrational letter was suggested to McGhee by OLF parent and police officer, then Commander Gary Brizzee, who I firmly believe is one of the main orchestrators of the cover-up for Jones. Both McGhee and Brizzee had their own self interests and Machiavellian agendas at stake. Brizzee soon after the coverup was promoted to Chief of Police, cancelling the over a year long, nationwide search.
For full story, see the Badger Flats Gazette publication, “LB Confidential.”
