This opinion was contributed by Hollister resident Catherine Eva Booth Vaughan. The opinions expressed do not necessarily represent BenitoLink or other affiliated contributors. Lea este artículo en español aqui.
Hollister voters deserve to know who they are electing, particularly when choosing someone to serve as mayor. Leadership is not simply about campaign promises or political connections. It is about character, judgment, accountability, and respect for the people you represent.
That is why I believe Scott McPhail’s public statements, conduct, and business history deserve serious scrutiny.
Character matters. Words matter. And the way someone treats others matters.
Verified screenshots of social media posts by McPhail contain offensive language, including racist, misogynistic, and homophobic epithets and slurs. These are not merely differences of political opinion. They raise serious questions about his judgment, temperament, and ability to represent every resident of Hollister.
When I submitted this opinion piece to BenitoLink, the publication refused to publish the actual epithets and slurs used by McPhail. While I recognize that BenitoLink has the right to establish its own editorial standards, I strongly disagree with withholding the actual language from voters. The public deserves to see exactly what was written, rather than a sanitized description that may minimize the severity of the statements.
These are not unverified rumors. The screenshots have been verified. Voters should be allowed to judge McPhail by his own words.
Protecting readers from offensive language should not come at the expense of protecting a political candidate from accountability for having used it.
McPhail’s business record also deserves examination.
Purple Cross RX South Bay, a business associated with McPhail, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on March 8, 2018, under case number 5:18-bk-50494. This was a business bankruptcy, not a personal bankruptcy filing by McPhail.
The business was also involved in litigation containing allegations of fraud, which McPhail denied. Allegations are not proof of wrongdoing, but voters have every right to examine the circumstances and outcome of a candidate’s business ventures.
Hollister is facing significant financial challenges. We need a mayor who demonstrates financial responsibility, sound judgment, transparency, and accountability. A business failure does not automatically disqualify someone from public office. Nor does a person’s past mean that they cannot change. But candidates seeking public trust should be willing to address their records openly. The same standard applies to offensive public statements.
Hollister is a diverse community. Our mayor must represent women, LGBTQ residents, people of every race and background, and residents of every political persuasion. Someone seeking to lead this city should be held to a high standard of respect and professionalism.
The public should not have to rely on sanitized versions of a candidate’s own words to determine whether that candidate deserves their vote. Voters should examine the verified screenshots, consider McPhail’s business record, and decide whether his conduct reflects the leadership Hollister needs.
We deserve elected officials who bring people together rather than divide them, who demonstrate financial responsibility, and who treat all residents with dignity.
In my opinion, Scott McPhail has not demonstrated that he is NOT the right person to serve as Hollister’s mayor.
Hollister deserves better.
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