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Jimmy Paulding’s campaign consultant’s ploy backfires

May 31, 2022

Jimmy Paulding

By KAREN VELIE

A Jimmy Paulding campaign consultant’s attempt to disparage San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Lynn Compton for blocking her on Facebook appears to have backfired, with locals condemning the Paulding campaign.

“If this is the kind of campaign you guys are going to run, I hope you lose historically,” said Nipomo resident Andy Andersen. “You are abhorrent with the politics you guys are doing. This is ridiculous.”

Late last year, Compton organized a GoFundMe page for a Nipomo family who lost their teenage daughter Carly Krauk in a fire. Sandee Hunt-Burns, a consultant Paulding’s campaign hired to run his social media, criticized Compton claiming her support was a publicity stunt that took Compton away from her role as a county supervisor.

The Hunt-Burns’ Facebook post prompted several Paulding supporters to attack the grieving parents, with one questioning the parents’ faith and another falsely claiming the teenager did not live at home with her parents.

Compton, who said she found the Hunt-Burns posts sickening and unconscionable, blocked Hunt-Burns from commenting on the “Compton for Supervisor” campaign Facebook page. Hunt-Burns then accused Compton of restricting access.

Andersen, a retired assistant chief of law enforcement for Cal Fire and friend of Carly Krauk’s family, criticized Paulding for allowing and tolerating Hunt-Burns’ social media ploy, in a message he left Paulding’s campaign on Monday.

“The simple fact that you guys are going to allow someone to make comments publicly that she did not live at home, and you guys are condone attacking the parents. You are an embarrassment.

“That someone in this community, who passed away, and Lynn was trying to help — that you guys can even tolerate this and you haven’t said anything,” Anderson added. Being retired law enforcement and all the games he is playing, trust me he does not support law enforcement.”

Paulding quickly responded, telling Andersen that he had recently hired Hunt-Burns and did not have time to vet her, Andersen said. However, according to his financial disclosure forms, Hunt-Burns worked for Paulding in 2021.

Also on Monday, an attorney for the Krauk family sent Paulding a warning to cease and desist social media posts that disparage their family.

Later Monday evening, Paulding announced Hunt-Burns had resigned from his campaign. Paulding then inaccurately claimed CalCoastNews attributed the questionable post to his campaign, and not to his consultant.

“Unfortunately, due to the publication of a recent CalCoastNews article, I am hearing from community members that they feel I somehow made this tragedy political,” Paulding posted on Facebook. “A person I hired to work on the campaign made these statements in their own personal capacity without my knowledge.”


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The unspeakable , gross depravity and vileness demonstrated by the Paulding supporters have pushed me away from him. That candidate is not in control of his campaign or image. He is NOT the type of leader we need. We have seen this type of specimen before in San Luis, and she quit. Anybody BUT Paulding at this point.


43

There’s no shame in Paulding and his supporters. Another nail in his election coffin.


77

Geez Jimmy, don’t say you didn’t have time to vet the crazy woman, blame Putin!

Have you not learned anything?


76

Paulding’s consultant Sandee Hunt Burns is also a reverend for a church. Since when is it acceptable for a reverend of a church to spread false information and attack a grieving family over the loss of a loved one? Or to attack an elected official that is being supportive of a grieving family in their community? Sandee Hunt Burns shouldn’t be anywhere near a church let alone serve in one as a reverend. She’s going to burn it down somebody because of her evil presence.


70

Why are candidates even hiring social media consultants to do anything other than make a page and post their candidates videos and opinions? There are a small number of nasty trolls who have trouble controlling themselves.


61

You might ask Donald Trump and the Russian agents who supported him in 2016 and 2020 that same question.


-108

Reread the story, it’s about Jimmy Paulding.


66

Obviously, you have had your head in the sand as the Russian collusion hoax has now been proven false and a fabrication by a Hilary Clinton.


84

Okay Adam, please don’t forget Hillary Clinton, Andrew Sussman, and Christopher Steele and many others who are now being caught in their own snare. American born agents of deceit against democracy and election fairness to all.


62

Get a new line, this is old, and proven incorrect.


32

Lynn Compton should be commended for reaching out to her constituents during a tragedy, which public officials often do. It is bad enough that Paulding’s consultant attempted to demean Compton for being kind, but to leave those nasty attacks against the family online is despicable.


If Paulding cannot properly vet or manage his campaign staff, how is he fit to lead our county


After 12 years of the bullying and lying of Adam Hill, do we need another supervisor who doesn’t understand online trolling is damaging to our community.


115

Same thing Caren Ray, mayor of Arroyo Grande said when one of her campaign people was caught defacing the signs of her opponent. I didn’t believe it then either.


78

Interestingly Sandee Hunt-Burns works for the SLO Tribune as a columnist. So, she manages Jimmy’s social media, and works for the Tribune, who endorsed him. Favoritism, or conflict of interest?


135

Funny how they eat their own when confronted with lies and the dirty tricks when uncovered, where is Paulding from, seems as if he is another transplant from a big city where lying and cheating is the norm.


96

“where is Paulding from”


Um, Paulding grew up in Arroyo Grande. His mom was a teacher at Coastal Christian School and his father a police officer. His credentials are impeccable. Hard right-wingers such as Ms. Velie have been out to get him ever since he decided to run for supervisor.


I mean, what is this about, someone did something on Facebook? Paulding has apologized. Enough said. Choose as you see fit, but to label Paulding as somehow corrupt is laughable.


-95

Jimmy lied twice in his response to this issue. First lie, Jimmy said Cal Coast referred to the campaign in the article, but they referred to the consultant – reread the article. She then was allowed to resign and should have been outright fired. Second lie, Jimmy said he did not vet this consultant, inferring didn’t know her well, but she was on his payroll for many months dating back into 2021, according to financial records. Two instant lies by Jimmy on the issue is full reason to reject him.


41

Paulding is a silver spooner raised in AG. He just lies like a big city guy.


66
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