It’s a trap!

Barbara Lee agreed to a debate tonight, but now some of her supporters think she's being set up to fail

☕️MORNING BUZZ

—Oakland mayoral candidates Barbara Lee and Loren Taylor will meet tonight in what is being billed as a proper debate, rather than the often sedate candidate forums.

Participants were required to have raised a minimum of $75,000 in campaign contributions prior to the March 1 filing deadline. Only Lee and Taylor surpassed the threshold.

The Black Action Alliance and Empower Oakland, the group created in early 2024 by Taylor, is hosting the debate, along with several local groups.

But it’s the main sponsors that are causing late-arising concerns about the objectivity of tonight’s debate.

Oakland Councilmember Carroll Fife called out the Black Action Alliance for being an “astroturf” group fronted by Philip Dreyfuss, the wealthy hedge fund manager who bankrolled the recalls of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price.

In a video posted on X, Fife called the debate a “set up” created to undermine Lee’s campaign.

Fife is correct about the genesis of the Black Action Alliance. It was created on Jan. 31 and is mostly funded by Revitalize East Bay Committee, the group, backed by Dreyfuss, that distributed funds to each of the recall campaigns.

The Black Action Alliance, however, has only raised $22,625, according to finance reports filed last week.

In a statement, the Oakland/Berkeley chapter of BWOPA and its political action committee, along with the Brotherhood of the Elders Network raised concerns about the “lack of transparency and misrepresentation” in planning the debate.

Nevertheless, they will proceed with organizing the event.

However, the assertion that Lee’s campaign is unwittingly walked into a trap by agreeing to the debate is a stretch, perhaps providing a safety valve in the event Lee’s performance falls flat.

Throughout the special election campaign, Lee has mostly failed to present a strong performance at candidate forums. The format may not be Lee’s strong suit. She turned in flat performances during several debates last year in the U.S. Senate primary.

—Tonight’s debate at the Oakland Museum begins at 6 p.m., and is sold out, but will be live-streamed on KTVU.

—More inside:

• Alameda is on track to hit its goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

• Hayward mayor to deliver state of the city tonight, San Leandro mayor gets his chance next week.

• San Leandro councilmember calls out colleague for not being prepared.

• County hospitals have a plan in the event ICE agents show up at their facilities.

• Campaign finance data for Monday.

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