[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Who's behind the disgusting independent expenditure campaign designed to aid Mayor Heather Fargo in her race against challenger Kevin Johnson in the Sacramento's Mayor's Race? From the near-exact similarities of the server addresses, it looks like it's the same right-wing operative who's launched racist anti-immigration media campaigns, flopped in an attempt to hand over California's electoral votes to Republicans by splitting them, and hyped the "Rescue California" campaign to recall Gov. Gray Davis.

Gillard Blanning has a long history of sleaze campaigns against Democrats. But this appears to be the first time that Gillard has thrown in with a Democrat to try to knock off another Democrat.

The anti-Johnson campaign features grainy photographs of Johnson, an urban/graffiti-filled wall, and a faked telephone conversation. It's probably one of the most vile character attacks I've seen in ages -- and I've seen a lot in my years.

Last night, in the "debate" hosted by the Sacramento Bee and News10, Mayor Heather Fargo said with a straight face that she hadn't seen the website or mailpiece by Gillard. Which made her either a rival for Pinocchio in the truth-telling department or someone who has no clue about the campaign she's in. You be the judge.

In any case, she failed to repudiate the mailer when she had the opportunity. And that's troubling even her supporters.