Rebecca Kaplan's campaign helped an IE supporting Sheriff Greg Ahern's re-election
Oakland's controversial California Waste Solutions is throwing cash around San Leandro; Barack Obama on the ballot in Alameda!
ELECTION 2022
ALAMEDA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS—DISTRICT 3
—HORSESH*T!—Alameda County supervisorial candidate Rebecca Kaplan is clearly a progressive lodestar in the East Bay. So why did Kaplan’s campaign contribute last spring to a shadowy Independent Expenditure Committee (IE) with clear designs to help Alameda County Sheriff Greg Ahern’s re-election campaign?
—Kaplan’s campaign made a $500 contribution to Preserving Agriculture in Alameda County on May 23, two days after the next-to-last reporting period before the June 7 primary. Kaplan did not return a text this afternoon to explain the expenditure.
—Earlier in May, Preserving Agriculture in Alameda County spent $21,000 for a mailer featuring Ahern and his support from former Gov. Jerry Brown, East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell, and Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley. The IE spent more than $40,000 in total in an unsuccessful effort last spring to get Ahern re-elected.
—Kaplan is not the only local candidate that contributed to this pro-Ahern IE. San Leandro’s Surlene Grant, one of Kaplan’s opponents in the Alameda County District 3 Board of Supervisors primary, gave $100 to the IE in late May. April Chan, a member of the Fairview Municipal Advisory Council and candidate for the open East Bay MUD District 7 seat, gave $100 to the IE on May 22.
—The Preserving Agriculture in Alameda County IE has been around for several election cycles and is the brainchild of an individual whose name has oddly been popping up a lot in this newsletter recently—Castro Valley equestrian center owner Chuck Moore, a strong supporter of Supervisor Miley.
—Through mid-year, the IE appears to be winding down its previous efforts. Preserving Agriculture in Alameda County recently donated $1,000 to the Alameda County Fair Foundation. Moore is a member of the Alameda County Fair Board. In addition, the IE contributed $9,600 to Miley 2024 re-election campaign.
—It’s unlikely Preserving Agriculture in Alameda County’s cupboards will be left bare. A local county ballot measure that ostensibly allows Moore to build a larger equestrian arena in rural Castro Valley comes before voters this November. Expect his IE to play a big role in getting it approved by voters.
SAN LEANDRO MAYOR
—TRASH TALK—Last month, San Leandro mayoral candidate Bryan Azevedo posted a photo on social media that highlighted a meeting with Andy Duong, a co-founder of California Waste Solutions, Oakland’s controversial recycling franchise. The meeting, however, was apparently not their first. Duong contributed $2,000 to Azevedo’s mayoral campaign back on April 22, according to campaign finance records.
—As noted in the newsletter last week, San Leandro’s recycling contract could be up for bid in 2025. Incidentally, Duong also contributed $1,000 to San Leandro City Council candidate David Anderson in the open District 1 race. Duong is definitely working the field this fall in San Leandro. Keep in mind, San Leandro’s campaign finance limit is $4,900 per individual this year.
—Stewart Chen, a former Alameda councilmember who is running for the AC Transit board this fall, also appeared in the photo with Azevedo and Duong last month. Chen contributed $500 to Azevedo’s campaign on April 21.
—Chen has an unfortunate past. A few years back, I was part of the reporting team that revealed Chen’s past involvement in an insurance fraud scheme.
—However, Chen did not give to Anderson, but former San Leandro Councilmember Benny Lee, a long supporter of California Waste Solutions and the Duongs, contributed $500 to Anderson’s campaign.
—The Duongs’ dealings are well-known in Oakland, but less so in San Leandro and Alameda. Last year, California Waste Solutions was found to have overcharged its Oakland customers. The company agreed to pay $6 million back to Oakland residents. In addition, the Oakland Ethics Commission is investigating allegations the Duongs used “straw donors” to make political contributions to Oakland elected officials, and then reimbursed the donor’s payment.
OAKLAND MAYOR
—IDLF IE FORMED—An Independent Expenditure Committee in support of Oakland mayoral candidate Ignacio De La Fuente was created today, according to campaign finance records.
—The IE is named “Californians for Safer Streets Supporting Ignacio De La Fuente for Mayor of Oakland.” De La Fuente is positioning his campaign as the mayoral race’s toughest on crime candidate. This IE could be the invisible point in that dagger over the next few months.
ALAMEDA MAYOR
—OBAMA FOR MAYOR—Barack D. Obama Shaw qualified as a candidate for mayor of Alameda on Tuesday. Still hoping Joseph Biden runs for the school board. As of today, two others have pulled papers to challenge Alameda Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft’s re-election, including her colleague Councilmember Trish Herrera Spencer.
—PULLING PAPERS—Below is the list of prospective candidates who recently pulled papers. Note: Alameda County’s filing deadline is Friday, Aug. 12. If the incumbent in a race does not file, then the deadline is Wednesday, Aug. 17. *Incumbent.
ALAMEDA MAYOR—Eric Larson.
ALAMEDA CITY COUNCIL—Hannah Groce.
BERKELEY CITY COUNCIL—Clifford Fred, Tamar Freeman (District 1); Peter Bruce DuMont (District 8).
BERKELEY SCHOOL BOARD—Mike Chang, Tatiana Guerreiro Ramos.
BERKELEY RENT STABILIZATION BOARD—*Soli Alpert, Vanessa Danielle Ramos, Nathan Mizell.
EDEN HEALTH DISTRICT—Ed Hernandez (Area 5).
AC TRANSIT BOARD OF DIRECTORS—Sarah Syed (Ward 3).
PERALTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES—Tarrell Gamble (Area 3).
HAYWARD SCHOOL BOARD—*April Oquenda.
SAN LORENZO SCHOOL BOARD—Alison Hayden.
LIVERMORE JOINT SCHOOL BOARD—Anne White.
FREMONT SCHOOL BOARD—Jennifer Kavouniaris (Area 3).
