Fish and Game … “It’s Just a Little Teeth Cleaning”

On Sept. 9, 2010 Neil Manji gave an interview to Tim Heardon of the “Capital Press” newspaper. Manji is the recently appointed replacement of Mark Stopher as Northern Regional Director for the California Department of Fish and Game.

Mr. Stopher was replaced due to his actions in the attempt to extort and threaten Water Right owners into signing contracts, which would give CDFG control over Water Rights in Siskiyou County.

Mr. Manji’s interview shows him to be just another incompetent CDFG bureaucrat attempting to threaten the Water Right owners of Siskiyou County into the “Watershed Wide Permitting Process.”

NEW DIRECTOR — SAME AGENDA, SAME THREATS!

This “Watershed Wide Permitting Process,” if successful, will negatively affect Water Rights and Property Rights throughout the State of California.

Heardon, “Capital Press” reporter, has quoted Mr. Manji as saying, “Some ranchers are being asked to cut back their irrigation water.” Manji is further quoted, “Fish and Game is not involved in a water grab.”

Manji and the California Department of Fish and Game, clearly, do not make the distinction between contracts that force a landowner to “cut back on his irrigation,” and the outright “TAKE” of property.

The “Capital Press” article goes on to quote Manji as saying, “Holdouts were sent new letters in August warning them of potential penalties and WARDENS HAVE VISITED THE PROPERTIES OF SOME OF THE RANCHERS.”

Manji is also quoted to say, “At this time we are not going out there with billy clubs and mace trying to get this thing done. We’re trying to get as many permits issued to show the community up there that–  IT’S NOT REALLY PULLING TEETH, IT’S JUST LIKE A NICE TEETH CLEANING. I think everybody knows A LOT OF FOLKS ARE AFRAID TO GO TO THE DENTIST TO BEGIN WITH.”

I urge all readers to get on the internet, and look up the California Penal Code sections 519 through 526. This is the definition of EXTORTION.

The Department of Fish and Game will, according to Mr. Manji, condescend to give “recalcitrant landowners,” another chance, “provided they give a valid reason,” why they didn’t sign up during the, so called, voluntary enrollment period.

I, personally, was not aware that one needed a valid reason to avoid an illegal “TAKE” of our WATER RIGHTS.

Manji’s final quote in the “Capital Press” article says, “We want to leave that door open as best we can to allow others to enroll without making the folks who enrolled and us look like chumps.”

Manji, just for the record, you are too late!  Both you and the California Department of
Fish and Game, obviously, look and act like “chumps.”

The Heardon article quotes the California Cattleman Association as saying, “It is one thing to have clear rules, but it is another thing when the government makes its own rules and is able to interpret them as broadly as they choose.”

Manji, the Water Right owners belonging to Scott Valley Protect Our Water have said repeatedly in meetings, to the news media, in published articles, as well as, at a Water Rally attended by over 500 supporters,

“ WE WILL NOT SIGN.

WE WILL NOT SUBMIT.

WE WILL FIGHT.

WE WILL STAND UPON THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

WE WILL DEFEND OUR PROPERTY WITH ALL THE RESOURCES AT OUR COMMAND.

Mark Baird
Vice President, Scott Valley Protect Our Water