Actually, NO campaigns run this page

RE: "Fake Websites"

I'm a private Concord resident not affiliated with any active political campaigns.

This is not a "fake website".   It's a Google Site, just another page on the internet, that's easy to edit and update.  If you got here by typing something other than what you see right now in the address bar, you typed out one of the domains that I own, which is currently set to forward here.  I certainly didn't link you here, and if any of the campaigns or media did, well that's on them.  They should probably stop doing that.

I bought these domains on 8/29, nearly 3 weeks after candidates filed for the Concord City Council races in Districts 2 and 4, for no other reason than to illustrate that unserious candidates are unprepared for real campaigns, and shouldn't be taken as serious contenders, especially in a crowded field with an incumbent like District 4.

None of these pages ever rerouted traffic to another candidate’s website, nor could any of them be considered an attempt to mirror an actual candidate website.   For almost two months, it just sat there on the internet hosting a single silly image.  No links to other websites, no telling visitors who to vote for, nothin'...

Prior to the recent mention in The Diablo Gazette, the only person bringing any attention to these domains was a  local  landlord advocate, who publicly alleged that Benavente campaign made "fake websites" in an underhanded move against his preferred candidate's campaign.  His claims were made on social media and during public comment at Concord City Council meetings.  He's wrong, but he continued to be vocal about his speculation because he convinced himself of his own conspiracy theory,  and desperately wanted to bring more attention to it, thusly bringing more traffic to my domains. 

Until about a week ago, I had these domains forwarded to a Google Site matching one of the domains with a MAGA-themed image that said "This is How Birsan Wins," implying that Mayor Edi Birsan will win this year because his opposition is split between his would-be successor, and an inexperienced candidate who was registered as a Republican earlier this year (no longer the case) and lived outside of District 4 up until this summer.  That candidate admits that the mayor talked him into running (to split the opposition), and that he moved to District 4 in order to be eligible to run.  All that behavior stinks to high heaven, so I had no problem with the innocuous jab of the this image.  Again, that was the only thing on the site my domains forwarded to.  No additional texts or links.

It's one thing for a blowhard on Next Door to rant about his conspiracy theories and make incorrect public accusations, but it's disappointing to see a local newspaper run with this paranoia.  Diablo Gazette falsely reports that at one time ("for weeks") these domains forwarded to a site that said "A vote for Myles is a vote for Edi Birsan," and then "instructed you to vote for Pablo Benavente".  That's a lie.  No site of mine ever said that and I know this because I alone manage these domains.  While it isn't surprising David King printed something untrue, it is somewhat surprising he simply made up a quote and allowed it to go to print.  

Purchasing a few domains that I have no business owning may be considered questionable politics for some, but those individuals have likely convinced themselves that I am either hired by or volunteer with a campaign.  I am not.  We live in a free market.  These domains were available for anyone to purchase when I bought them, and they remain available for anyone to purchase today.  The only time I was contacted was a spam solicitation regarding web development. 

Thank you for reading!  This distraction will come to an end as soon as campaigns and media stop linking here.