January 19, 2011 in City

Mager accuses successor French of libel

Complaint filed with Public Disclosure Commission

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Mager
(Full-size photo)

Former Spokane County Commissioner Bonnie Mager on Tuesday announced a Public Disclosure Commission complaint accusing her successor, Al French, of libel.

With exhibits, Mager’s complaint is 107 pages long and covers many of the issues in her race against French. However, Mager’s cover letter focuses on a barrage of e-mails in the week before the Nov. 2 general election.

French said in an e-mail to supporters that Mager was “apparently abusing a (property tax deferral) program designed to assist legitimate members of the agricultural community.”

Some of French’s supporters went a step further and stated incorrectly in e-mails that Mager “falsified” her application for an agriculture-based property tax deferral and “owes more than $7,500 in back property taxes.”

Mager acknowledges no distinction between French and his supporters.

At the time of the e-mails, a Public Disclosure Commission spokeswoman said the state agency doesn’t regulate election e-mails. However, she said Internet-based campaigns are an emerging issue and the PDC would need to review its policies for the future.

French brushed aside Mager’s complaint: “I’m busy doing the work of the county, and that’s what I’m focused on right now. I’m comfortable I did nothing wrong.”

Mager claims without evidence that French got the county Assessor’s Office to “produce false documents that were not public records at all, but rather projections of penalties.”

Actually, Mager and her husband, John, were among 46 property owners who didn’t respond to a request for information and were warned about how much tax they would owe if they failed to respond to a second letter.

The Magers met the deadline and remain in a program that shaved $1,050 off last year’s tax bill on their 40-acre property near Cheney.

Public records show the couple qualified for the farm tax break with evidence that they sold $50 worth of hay last year and that their daughter, Caroline, had agreed to pay $150 a month for each horse they boarded for her.

The Magers said last fall that they were boarding two horses, but sometimes might have three.

Five comments on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  CalJones on January 19 at 6:24 a.m.

  She must have finally realized that she really misses that big paycheck.

• 

  Ninch on January 19 at 8:58 a.m.

  Al French has a very long history of “bending the truth”….So no surprise here that one of his targets is pushing back. (Note: I am not a Bonnie Mager supporter at all.)

• 

  Marksman on January 19 at 9:13 a.m.

  Do any of the local wineries bottle “sour grapes?”

• 

  Dazzeetrader11 on January 19 at 11:15 a.m.

  Moving her daughter’s horse in won’t deal with this problem.
  Bonnie had many of these things going on. Al French didn’t catch her and release the information. This had been going on long before French ran against her. She did have warning letters and was told she was not using her land for “agricultural” use. So she modified (quickly) by bringing her daughter’s horse to her land.
  It looks like she was caught red handed after her warnings.

  It’s part of the County record and is public domain. Nobody made anything up. It’s there for all to see.

  “At the time of the e-mails, a Public Disclosure Commission spokeswoman said the state agency doesn’t regulate election e-mails. However, she said Internet-based campaigns are an emerging issue and the PDC would need to review its policies for the future.” <bonnie knows=”” there’s=”” nothing=”” to=”” complain=”” about.=”” just=”” keeping=”” her=”” face=”” in=”” the=”” public.=”” phil=”” harris=”” was=”” falsely=”” accused=”” by=”” mager=”” for=”” improprieties=”” she=”” knew=”” weren’t=”” true.=”” she=”” did=”” nothing=”” during=”” her=”” 4=”” year=”” term…but=”” whine.=”” she=”” needs=”” a=”” job=”” to=”” keep=”” her=”“ busy.=”“>

• 

  yellowcat on January 20 at 1:08 p.m.

  I don’t know what paper you read Miss Daisy, but the SR covered this story pretty well and it was clear that Al French had been trying to dig up dirt on Bonnie Mager for months but couldn’t, so in desperation to win he put it out there anyway. That is the definition of libel, by the way. Not only that he did the same to Jeff Holy when he claimed he was the only one against buying the race track when in fact he publicly supported it and it was Jeff who opposed it. This is no way to win an election(s) and I am glad to see political feet held to the fire.