Remember the good old days circa 2010 when political campaigns for November elections didn’t get underway in earnest until Labor Day?

It was 16 years ago that then Gov. Jerry Brown included Manteca in that quaint and archaic ritual by speaking at a Teamsters Labor Day picnic and rally at Northgate Park to officially kickoff the campaign season.

Now by the time Labor Day rolls around, people have been inundated with political rhetoric, political posturing, and political trash talk for months.

And it is also clear that no one can take a joke, a slip in judgment or even take a deep breath and think beyond the moment to weigh optics, let alone how words come out.

There is little doubt that Dr. Matthew Alexander wasn’t trying to buy voters when he made what he describes as an “off the cuff” remark offering $50 discounts for first time patients that vote for Gary Singh in a social media posting.

Under California election law, it sounds what it sounds like which isn’t funny.

It is now up to San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas to determine whether the remarks in the video actually pass the legal litmus test as a formal complaint has been filed.

Keep in mind there are much more serious consequences possible for the chiropractor than for Singh as a candidate who “played along” with the unscripted remarks for his weekly Thursday social media videos as mayor promoting Manteca businesses.

It could, in theory, create legal problems that could have serious repercussions for the chiropractor’s business.

That doesn’t mean the video incident should get a pass.

It’s just that making a mountain out of a mole hill all of the time can have unintended consequences.

The DA will decide if it was just bad judgment or, as some argue, a bad joke.

Whether you are a Singh supporter or a Jacob Naven supporter, take a moment to reflect on a letter that Alexander sent to Manteca City Clerk Cassandra Candini-Tilton in a bid to explain how things unfolded from his perspective.

The letter in its entirety follows:

“To the Office of the City Clerk:

“I am writing to provide context and clarification regarding a social media video featuring Mayor Gary Sibngh and me that was recorded at Alexander Chiropratcic and Wellness on Aug. 12, 2026.

“I first met Mayor Singh at the Watermelon Festival in June 2026. In August, Mayor Singh offered to visit my office and highlight our local business on social media. On Aug. 12, Mayor Singh and his son filmed a tour of the facility.

“At the conclusion of the tour, in the spirit of promoting my business and without any prior planning or discussion, I spontaneously stated on camera that I would offer $50 off a first visit to new patients who said they had voted for Mayor Singh. The offer was entirely my idea, it was not suggested, planned, or discussed with Mayor Singh, his son, or anyone else associated with him before I made the statement.

“After the visit, Mayor Singh, his son, or someone associated with his team edited and posted the video to Mayor Singh’s social media accounts. I did not edit the video or write the accompanying caption.

“I did not think about the video again between the time it was filmed and Monday, Aug. 31, 2025, at approximately 4:45 p.m. when Mayor Singh called me to inform me that the video was being taken down and that the offer I had made on the video should not have been made.
“At that point, I dd not specifically remember what I said in the video. I subsequently located a reposted portion of the video and reviewed my comments. After reviewing what I had said and learning more about the laws governing promotions connected with elections, I recognized the way I worded the promotion was inappropriate.
“I regret making the statement. It was an off-the-cuff promotional comment and was not intended by me to influence anyone’s vote or interfere with the election process. There was no agreement or coordinated plan between Mayor Singh and me regarding the offer.

“No one has received the $50 discount associated with this offer. The offer has been withdrawn, and no such discount will be provided going forward.

“I take responsibility for my own words and recognized that I should have been more careful. I have learned from this experience and will be more thoughtful regarding promotions of this nature going forward.

“I am providing this statement voluntarily so that the City has an accurate account of my involvement and the circumstances surrounding the video.”