🚀 go-pugleaf

  Pro-growth crime moves underground, environmentalists see
  brighter days ahead!
  
  
  FRESNO-CLOVIS                             Friday, Aug 11, 1995
  In the conservative Fresno-Clovis metropolitan area, it was no 
  surprise that the developers were riding rough-shod over these
  cities, the surprise was that anybody got caught.  Like bad
  tasting water, it eventually is no longer noticed.  This has 
  long been an inside joke among California pols.  
  
  So far, six are under federal indictment with charges including
  racketeering, extortion, and witness tampering.  It is believed
  that as many as twenty more may be indicted as the FBI's Operation
  Rezone continues.  Those indicted include Clovis City Council 
  Member Leif Sorenson, several colorful developers and developers' 
  most successful lobbyist; Jeffrey T. Roberts.  Roberts has seemingly 
  plea bargained guilty to tax evasion, and has cooperated with the 
  FBI via a dramatic written confession.
  
  Fresno's largest and best known home developer; John Bonadelle 
  remains one of the FBI's remaining targets according to today's 
  Fresno Bee.  Both John Bonadelle and Fresno's pro-development 
  mayor, Jim Patterson have stated that their shop is clean and 
  that they are fully cooperating with the tightening investigation.

  The investigation was initiated after developer William Tatham Jr.
  complained to the FBI about political extortion in the amount of
  $10,000.  He later wore a wire for the FBI.  The story has grown 
  to include bankers, insurance agents, a prominent restaurateur, 
  out-of-town developers, past and present Clovis City Council members 
  and votes and actions, and the unknown side of the old-boy political 
  power structure in these cities.  Among the Council actions being 
  examined are vote buying, concerns over election validity and 
  funding, as well as several projects and rezonings even in the face 
  of strong neighborhood opposition. 

  --Douglas Bashford, From Dead Central California  ----------    

"All that was required of them was a primitive    .---.        .------------
patriotism which could be appealed to whenever   /     \  __  /    ------
it was necessary to make them accept longer     / /     \(  )/    -----
working hours or more pollution.  And even     //////   ' \/ `   ---
when they became discontented, as they        //// / // :    : ---
sometimes did, their discontent led nowhere, // /   /  /`    '--
because, having only Company ideas, they    //          //..\\  
could only focus it on the Company's  -----/-----------UU----UU-------------
scapegoats.  The source of these evils                 '//||\\`
invariably escaped their notice."                        ''``