Nielsen hit with new complaint

Another of former state Sen. Jim Nielsen’s opponents in the Republican primary to succeed District 2 Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa, of Richvale, has filed a complaint with the Secretary of State Debra Bowen’s office.

John Martinez, of Etna, is alleging that Nielsen falsified his residency when he registered to vote in Tehama County. Charlie Schaupp, of Esparto, who is also running against Nielsen in the primary, had filed a similar complaint. And Don Bird, a resident of Rancho Tehama, north of Red Bluff, has filed a petition for a writ of mandamus in Tehama County Superior Court challenging Nielsen’s statement of residency. In response, Nielsen has filed a motion to strike Bird’s claim. The matter will be heard on May 12 at 1:45 p.m. in Department 3.

Nielsen, who in the late 1980s was the powerful minority leader of the Senate, lives in an expensive home in Woodland, outside the district, but owns a double-wide mobile home in the Gerber area. He has said he and his wife intend to move into it.

As the CN&R reported April 17, Nielsen has fudged on his residency before, when he claimed a Rohnert Park address as his residence while actually living in Woodland, outside his Senate district.