Woman attempting to sideline Shasta election measure has filed court paperwork with her real identity
County attorney Joseph Larmour confirmed yesterday that Jennifer Katske is the woman behind a “Jane Doe” legal challenge that’s been filed over an election-related ballot measure. She refiled court paperwork this week under her real name after Shasta judge said her identity is a matter of public interest.
The woman behind a legal petition challenging a pending ballot measure has refiled her documents under her real name, Jennifer Katske.
Her action was taken in response to a ruling by Shasta County Superior Court Judge Benjamin Hanna last week. Hanna told the woman — who appeared in court by phone during the hearing using only the pseudonym “Jane Doe” — that he was requiring her to use her real identity because her case is a matter of public interest.
Katske reached out to Shasta Scout two days ago with a statement outlining her reasons for filing the suit, written in the form of an essay under her real name titled, “I am Jane Doe.” County Counsel Joseph Larmour confirmed that name yesterday saying it was now a matter of public record.
In her statement, Katske said she respects the court’s decision to require the use of her name just as she will respect the court’s final ruling on her petition. She also explained that her actions were taken out of concern that the law be upheld, citing the courts as a fundamental part of America’s democratic process.
“I brought this case against the Shasta County Board of Supervisors and the Registrar of Voters for one reason, and one reason only: the law,” Katske wrote. “This is not a partisan decision. It is not political theater. It is not an attack on democracy. It is — and remains — a legal challenge grounded in a simple principle: no one is above the law, especially those elected to uphold it.”
Katske also addressed the reason why she originally filed the suit anonymously, saying the community climate in Shasta is one where harassment, intimidation and public targeting of community members is tolerated when someone dares to challenge those in power. She used her statement to call out those who she said have harassed, doxed and intimidated her in the past, adding that “civic participation is not something to be bullied out of existence.”
Today during a county board meeting related to Katske’s legal challenge, multiple community members spoke out against the person behind the petition, who they were still referring to as “Jane Doe.” One ballot measure proponent, Linda Glass, called Katske’s legal filing in court as “an attempted lynching by a covert traitor.”
But several other public commenters shared a different perspective, thanking “Jane Doe” for representing those in Shasta who oppose the ballot measure.
“Thank you to Jane Doe,” said former Shasta Election Commissioner Brad Garbutt. “She represents the vast majority of people in Shasta County who do not want this voter suppression measure to ever see the light of day.”
While some supervisors mentioned during the meeting that her identity was now public record, no one spoke her name aloud until after the meeting when County Counsel Joseph Larmour did so in response to a question from Shasta Scout.
Along with ordering Katske to reveal her real name, the judge in the case also issued an order last week that her other identifying information, such as her phone number and address, must remain shielded from public scrutiny.
A LinkedIn profile identifies Katske as a critical care, trauma and ICU nurse with a background as a flight nurse and an expert nurse legal consultant.
Do you have a correction to share? Email us: editor@shastascout.org.
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Right after the board meeting on Tuesday I thought I heard this comment from Kevin Crye on a hot mic -“Yeah, except for the cancer of the heart thing”
Did anyone else hear that?
The community wishes to have voter identification to register to be able to vote in this county. The country has a whole with an average of 82% want voter ID so everybody on this thread is nothing but political bladder! Gushing over something that they think is heroic! It’s nothing more than political bullshit!
82% eh?
Totally legit and not a number you are making up.
Sources, please.
Because otherwise 73% of Shasta county residents think it’s a bogus statistic…
They don’t realize that you have to have more than just a driver’s license. You’ll also need a birth certificate or passport, right Jon? Once you jump that hurdle, they also want limited absentee ballots, hand counting , new voter rolls, one day voting, and more. Right Jon? And why? Surely you have proof of rampant voter fraud necessitating all these new obstacles to voting? Or not. I’m going with you having zero proof of massive voter fraud so no need to answer. Go back to watching Faux News and quit insulting our intelligence with your silly comments.
Jon, you’re right. The public does support the idea of voter ID. Cathy Allen agrees. Just about everyone agrees that voters must identify themselves at some point in the voting registration process. But there are many ways to do that. Is a drivers license enough or is a Birth Certificate in your current name required? Is a college ID or a concealed weapons permit okay for ID. When strict requirements are stacked onto other requirements (such as one day voting), the process will discourage many people from voting. This will create public distrust. All to prevent voting problems that almost never happen.
Sincere gratitude and thanks to Jennifer for pursing the restraining order. Once again, a judge thus far is the only guardrail against this unlawful voter suppression charter amendment seeing the light of day. Let’s also remember that Crye voted no on the motion to not provide any taxpayer funds to Clint Curtis to fight this restraining order. That means Crye wanted us taxpayers to fund a defense attorney to argue in favor of keeping this illegal measure on the ballot. I hope Erin Resner is taking note and will incorporate this fact in her campaign ads.
I echo Brad’s sentiments of gratitude. And I’ll add that as a retired attorney with a more than passing knowledge of California’s Election Code, I was very impressed with Ms. Katske’s legal pleadings. It’s telling that Clint Curtis, who is a lawyer and the ROV subject to that Code, didn’t feel he could adequately defend his own decision.
It’s refreshing to see people in the community stand up for what is right. Just because Clint Curtis and his ilk refuse to understand how voter registration works, doesn’t mean the rest of us should suffer for it.
You can email or call the Elections Division of the California Secretary of State if you are concerned about the registrars office not being as transparent as they claim to be. The squeaky wheel gets the grease as they say.
Jennifer Katsky, you should consider running for the BoS. A person with your fortitude and intelligence is much needed to be a voice of and for the citizens of Shasta County. I loved that another woman of intelligence and fortitude has just been named Person of the Year.
My heart felt thanks goes out to Jennifer Katske for having the courage to do something when no one else would. Please try and ignore the hateful comments as I know more will come. I agree with Frank, I would support a Go Fund Me. AND know, you will and do have a lot of support from a silent majority in Shasta County.
Good for Jane Doe, that takes courage. The mere fact that someone called her a traitor for following the law speaks volumes as to who and what she’s up against. “We The People” (cough) might want to take another peek at our election laws and while they’re at it, our Constitution; neither things should be treated as “grab and go” from the corner 7-11.
Jane Doe, aka Jennifer Katske, should be celebrated rather than castigated. She had the courage to bring this matter before the courts before more time and money could be wasted on a fatally flawed and clearly unenforceable ballot measure. Those who believe that a proposed amendment to a county charter, no matter how popular, can override state and federal election law need to take high school civics again. That includes our Registrar of Voters and at least one member of our Board of Supervisors.
Every now and then a true patriot appears in our midst and that person is Jennifer Katske, let the lauding continue. She did something a local attorney or group should have done, to protect our election laws and save our county millions of dollars, instead she has expended her own funds to file the writ and legal forms, if ever a Go Fund Me account was needed it would be for Ms. Katske.
Jennifer Katske. Your comment, “This not a partisan decision…” shows class; much more than I have!
Thank you for doing something to protect the law and promote Safe / Sane Elections in this very unsafe, dangerously crazy environment, stretching from far-right-partisan Clint Curtis and his posse to Trump’s lawless authoritarian clan, vying to illegally use the National Emergencies Act (NEA), something only the US Congress can do, to take over or cancel our elections.
No, you are not attempting a “lynching” nor are you a “covert traitor.” That’s simply crazy talk…
Thank you for being a patriot and speaking out, because, yes, things will get so much worse if we do nothing… and that takes courage.
I would look forward to contributing to your law case if needed.