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Mayor of Central Point doesn't back Richardson By DANI DODGE CENTRAL POINT - The mayor of Central Point is not endorsing councilman Dennis Richardson - who is running for state House District 4 - contrary to a campaign ad that ran in Friday's Mail Tribune. "I looked at the ad this morning, but I didn't even read down the names. I knew mine wasn't there," Mayor Bill Walton said Friday night. But then the city administrator called Walton into his office. Two city employee had been listed among the endorsements, and one of them was "livid," Walton said. Employees making endorsements "is completely against all rules," Walton said. And Walton saw his own name. "I never signed anything so he could do that," Walton said. Richardson, though, said Walton and others from the city verbally endorsed him early in the campaign. "I talked to each one and said I'm going to be running for District 4, and I'd like to have you support me, and each of them said that they would," Richardson said. "I'm totally surprised by this." He said he would remove the disputed names from the ad. An attorney and the treasurer of the state's Republican Party, Richardson is running against state Rep. Cherryl Walker in District 4. Richardson was appointed to the Central Point City Council last year. When the advertisement was submitted to the Mail Tribune, it came with statement signed by Richardson's campaign manager, Jadine Brown. "I, Jadine Brown, give my word of honor that the people whose names appear on the Dennis Richardson Endorsement List have given us verbal permission to use their names as supporters of Dennis Richardson. I will provide you with copies of their written signatures as I receive them." Among the many pages of endorsements, there were no signatures from Walton or the two employees Walton said he did not endorse Richardson. The two employees could not be reached for comment. "If it had just been my name, I would have said 'OOPS, I really killed it with Cherryl Walker, but with the two employees - you don't do that," Walton said. "It could be you are supportive, but you can't come out in writing, because if that person doesn't win, you still have to work with the other person in office." Walker said she is considering filing a complaint against Richardson with the state bar because of the false endorsements. "Mr. Richardson is an attorney, and he should know better than to do this," she said. "You do not ever use anyone's name without their permission." When Walton called the Mail Tribune, he pointed out that Walker has been good to the city of Central Point during her tenure, and he didn't want a false endorsement to alienate her. "Cherryl Walker has come to my home for two hours every six months and then sent me a letter explaining what she did on the issues we discussed," Walton said. "Every time she leaves the home I say to my wife, 'she's a perfect representative.' But Dennis Richardson is a council member I appointed. "I can't support him or support her, so it's best to stay neutral." Reach reporter Dani Dodge at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.