Woman attempting to sideline Shasta election measure has filed court paperwork with her real identity

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. 

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