Did Dan Dow confuse the official San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office Facebook page with his personal propaganda machine? He must have because amid all the normal posts from the office about scams, professional achievements, and convictions was a lone comment targeting a local media outlet.
“A local blog masquerading as media claims this email to staff was inflammatory … hmmm. I wonder why they didn’t print the entire email? Yawn.”
What’s this about? An opinion piece in the San Luis Obispo Tribune.
Not an opinion piece masquerading as journalism, but one that was clearly labeled as opinion pushing back on a memo sent out by a local government office that painted protesters as potentially dangerous. (Even though the protests here are pretty much always benign and boring.) And, it seems like the District Attorney’s Office—umm, Dow, I mean—is upset at the pushback.
How dare a local media organization publish an opinion piece questioning the conduct of a government office. It’s just the literal definition of what The Tribune’s job is. Looks like it struck a nerve and started a conversation. Exactly the point.
The DA’s Office is clearly using the Trump administration’s precedent-busting, quasi-legal moves as a template for how to operate. Lord, help us. That means SLO County’s political discourse and good governance is headed straight for the toilet. I wonder when Dow’s political agenda is going to show up on the official website for the DA’s Office or in an official press release sent out to the public. Will his office begin targeting political frenemies? It’s only a matter of time, because Dow obviously feels emboldened, just like Trumpty Dumpty—who I keep hoping will have a great fall.
Demonizing the media organizations attempting to hold his feet to the fire is one way of dealing with criticism. Doing it on an official government page is another altogether. Thin skin is unflattering on a public official. It’s managing emotions like a teenager would—reactionary, petty, narrow-minded, and vindictive, with only one person in mind.
Does anyone remember former county Supervisor Adam Hill (now deceased) and the way he used to attack anyone who shot a sideways glance his way? Our county is still recovering from the division he managed to sow with that rhetoric.
So, grow up, Dan. You’re not new to criticism or elected office. You’ve been the district attorney here for 12 years and in the office for much longer than that. You were elected to put criminals behind bars and stand up for victims. Stick to your area of expertise and leave the national politics to your campaign emails. Let the criticism drive you to do your job better instead of throwing a temper tantrum that criticism even exists!
Ugg. It’s my job to throw temper-tantrums! Stay in your lane.
Your lane is dealing with people like David Allen Leader who was just appointed to chair the Templeton Area Advisory Group, despite his dealings with the SLO Superior Court system and his neighbors. The DA’s Office filed 24 misdemeanor charges against Leader associated with a dispute over a road he shares with neighbors.
He’s accused of violating protective orders, among other unneighborly things, like: shining lights toward homes at night, honking and revving his vehicle, driving past protected parties’ homes late at night.
“This defendant will simply not stop and control his rage and deranged need for revenge against his neighbors,” prosecutors from the DA’s Office wrote in court documents, adding that Leader is subject to an $85,000 bail.
“That’s unheard of in a misdemeanor case,” prosecutors wrote.
Oh good. This is the guy that’s going to fix the advisory group’s conflicts? Sounds like things aren’t going to get any better in Templeton. But don’t worry! Leader said that “a lot of the allegations,” “they’re simply not true.”
A lot of them, not all of them.
Leader also allegedly blamed being fired from his work on a letter about him using a company vehicle to intimidate one of his neighbors. It wasn’t the fact that he used the company vehicle to do it. It was the letter.
Speaking of temper-tantrums, it sounds like the 4th District county supervisor race is going to be a good one! Both sitting supervisor Jimmy Paulding and his opponent Adam Verdin are complaining about each other’s donors. As soon as campaign finance filings were released, Paulding’s campaign sent out an email about Verdin’s NKT Commercial ties. You know, NKT, the Dana Reserve developer.
“My opponent, Adam Verdin, has raised about $165,000 so far. Over $30,000 of that comes directly from housing developers,” Paulding wrote. “I never accept money from developers, because I believe supervisors should answer to residents—not special interests.”
I’m not sure developers want to give Paulding their money anyway, but Verdin had a response!
“Paulding relied heavily on special interest groups to raise that sum [$233,000], having received over $30K in contributions from political action committees in 2025,” Verdin’s campaign wrote in his email to supporters responding to Paulding’s email.
Did Verdin not see that one coming over the NKT associated donations? He seemed surprised, almost.
Anyway, none of the contributions to either of these candidates is really that surprising. Conservatives are supporting Verdin, alongside developers and agricultural interests. Liberals are supporting Paulding, alongside unions.
Boring, just like our protests. ∆
The Shredder is cool with peaceful, boring protests. Send fodder to shredder@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Feb 5-12, 2026.
Dan Dow also thinks our planet is 6000 years old and Noah’s flood is real. So, there is that.
Brett Cross’s statement makes it clear Dan Dow is not fit to be our DA.
And Shredder is right. Dan Dow acts like a church boy, throwing a tantrum, on his imaginary crusade, which is always against People of Color, the lefties, and all of those “other people”, different than church boy Dan Dow.
Leading up to the Truth Act Forum, I was surprised that DA Dan Dow hadn’t ordered that all business windows downtown be boarded up, like he did after George Floyd’s lynching.
Dan Dow seemed to be afraid of the “threat” of peaceful protesters, speaking their minds. I was out at the protest with my two 8 1/2 x 11, copy paper, protest signs.
Dow, like ICE, is a Public Threat, because of his public statements, after Renee Good’s and Alex Pretty’s killings by ICE, where he implied that he would be just fine if protesters were shot by ICE.
It sounded like Dan Dow would rather live in a one party Putin style dictatorship, like Trump wants, than in Our American Democracy. They all should move to Russia.
DA Dan Dow really needs to be disbarred, and retired, as does Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Trump’s defense attorney Todd Blanche . They have no regard for our Rule of Law.
“DA Dan Dow really needs to be disbarred, and retired…”
Tell that to the family of Kristin Smart.
Yes on the local level we have those people that believe in imaginary godsgg like their white bread crusade to remove diversity and sexual freedom from the USA. Give them all pointy white hats and their woman burkas . Whatever happened to freedom or should we change the name of this country. Our president leads with a pointed attack on minorities whenever he can get away with it. I was glad to see the Superbowl halftime bad bunny show viewership far defeated the folks tuning into turning points contribution….perhaps Trump and company or supporters should move to Siberia where all that white snow awaits. Good riddance. Ask yourself ….why are protestors such a huge threat to these people ……
John E:
If protesters are such a threat to this administration, why did the VP roast Europe (especially the UK) for their censorship of the press? As you denigrate our DA and the President, you say not a word about your party, the Democrats, and their favorite darling, Zylenski and his regime. Zylenski has managed to suspend elections, he’s outlawed opposition press, outlawed the Russian language and religion, tossed young men into unmarked vans and sends them to the front to die. Boy, there’s some freedom for you. Are we living in Wonderland? Is your name “Alice?” Have we gone through the looking glass? If you are so opposed to Dan Dow or Republicans, you’re free to vote for someone else. Wait, isnt that called “freedom??”
And frankly, I’d be a little less flippant about mocking God, that usually doesn’t work out to well. When our economy collapses this year, God might be the only One listening to you. Our government sure won’t be.
God is great for believers how they see fit…..grace goodness kindness offering a helping hand kind smile raising the weary poor etc. I hope my rant concerning corrupt politicians and crim8nals alike did not attack proper people of faith and goodness. I have a hard time with corruption. Pedophilia, outright lying from some republican and democratic leaders.lt seems the laws are applied to john q Public but not them
. Addmitingly so this trump administration is on a crusade of horrific proportions as they take this country down. Ignoring the constitution etc anf becoming rich as they skate away from prosecution. Again God or choice of is a fine thing. However criminals that hide behind the cloth are not going to escape their evil ways in the end. Seems like america is ripe for a true swamp draining anf revolution if something isn’t done soon. Goose step their asses to prison. All of them. By all means good people bath 8n your faith anf truth for a new clean America c9nsisting of all people’s of this world. Blessed be.
Thank you Mr fly ointment man of fish
….I enjoy sparring and trad8ng fours as they day in jazz circles…..thank you for straitening me out on my god politics rant etc….you are correct when this gov falls and d9ntvgiveva rats arse on us. God may be the only thing keeping us afloat frankly.
John:
“…as they take this country down.” Ive got bad news for you, our downfall began long before this current administration. It began when your generation, you are presumably a Boomer, sent our factories and factory jobs overseas, starting with Bill Clinton, all so you could make a few more interest points in profit. Now, it’s come full circle and you conveniently paint yourself out of the picture. Instead meaningful jobs and a prosperous society, your generation gave the public credit cards and flooded the country with illegal aliens to keep costs down. Our economy will collapse this year. We’re so f__ked.
John:
What are we going to do when police don’t show up to work because they are getting paid in a currency that has become so debased it buys less and less by the hour? There’s a reason gold is st $5000 an ounce when priced in dollars. Why do you think 100 year old, wooden, termite ridden, shacks in SLO sell for $800k. It’s because the dollar has been debased and it will go into overdrive when regional banks start collapsing this year.
I’m going fishing to save money or maybe I’ll catch and release to give the water creatures a chance…..in 67 years old now tired of bad movies…..that are real.
On the importance of truth and spirit. Always remember …..no one owns your arse……most obstacles weakr are our own until we change our thinking. Now the entire footing can fall away as we are seeing bad people the rats now scurrying because of corruption! Of course these decisions leading to this crisis and the downfall of America began long ago through both Democrat and Republican leadership. Yhr truth will set you free so take good care of your spirit don’t buy everything and save some of your money cause ya might need it.stockpolinh non perishables is a good idea just in case the lights go out.