Wahab declares victory after IEs declare ceasefire over false Brock Turner mailers
Appeal of controversial East County solar project is postponed to November. Plus, daily campaign finance data
ELECTION 2022
Days until Election Day: 26.
10TH STATE SENATE DISTRICT
—Aisha Wahab’s campaign is declaring victory after sending a cease and desist letter this week to two IEs that have flooded the state senate district recently with negative mailers. In particular, Wahab labeled mailers falsely linking her as supportive of an infamous convicted rapist case as “purposefully misleading” and racist.
—The law firm representing Keeping Californians Working told Wahab’s campaign that they “hereby confirm that for the duration of the current campaign, KCAW does not intend to publish any additional advertisements—be they mailers, digital ads, or otherwise.”
—Keep California Golden lawyers, meanwhile, contend the mailers constitute an opinion, according to Wahab’s campaign.
—On Thursday, Wahab lashed out against the IEs, which have spent nearly $550,000 in negative mailers within the past two weeks against her.
—“These attacks are disgusting and desperate. The cowardly people who came up with these lies should be ashamed of themselves,” Wahab said. “Sexual assault and rape exists within the industries of the
corporations and associations funding these ads, yet what are they doing to support those
victims? This is where I draw the line.”
—POLL WATCH—Tucked inside Wahab’s press release on Wednesday was a boast that her campaign holds a 10-point lead over opponent Lily Mei, apparently, according to internal polling.
—Of course, internal polls touted by campaign almost always must be taken with a grain of salt. However, based on the rash of negative mailers against Wahab, along with the false and odd messaging, the IE’s polling must have indicated Wahab negatives were low among voters.
20TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
—SPENDING PICKS UP—More than $220,000 was spent by various IEs in the 20th Assembly District race just on Wednesday. The headliner is the $100,000 expenditure for digital ads by Equality California in support of candidate Shawn Kumagai. I’m willing to bet that if you Google “Stoneridge Mall” or “Did Buffalo Bill’s in Hayward close?” you will soon see the pro-Kumagai web ad.
—Counteracting the expenditure is an $84,000 mail campaign in opposition of Kumagai paid for by a new player in this race, an IE named “Nurses and Educators for a Brighter California Future sponsored by labor organizations.” The potentially negative mailers may be the first against Kumagai during this entire election year. The same IE is also spending $44,000 for a mailer in favor of Liz Ortega-Toro
COUNTY/CITY NEWS
ALAMEDA COUNTY
—SOLAR NIMBYS—A pending Public Records Request is holding up a decision by the Alameda County Board of Supervisors on an appeal of a controversial East County solar project until Nov. 10.
—The Alameda County Solar Project in unincorporated Mountain House was first proposed last year. The 23-acre parcel located on farmland was approved and given a conditional-use permit. The decision, though, was appealed last month by Friends of Livermore, a group that has consistently opposed the solar farm.
—The appeal was scheduled to be heard at this morning’s Planning meeting but county supervisors sided with caution and postponed the vote to next month due to a still-outstanding records request by Friends of Livermore.
—The move was made by the board despite the opinion of county counsel that a pending records request would not impede their ability to render a decision on the appeal. Supporters of the solar project labeled the move by Friends of Livermore as a stalling tactic.
—Proponents of the project issued dire warnings about the slightest delay affecting climate change. “We don’t have time for delays,” said Lori Bilella, the owner of Soltage, the company proposing to build the two-megawatt solar array. “We are nearly out of time for our future. If we don’t act now our homes and land will be lost to drought and fire.”
—IN MEMORY OF WILMA—Since Alameda County Supervisor Wilma Chan’s untimely death last year, plans are in the work to rename a building at Highland Hospital in her honor, rename a street in her hometown Alameda, and now there is a proposal to rename a street in San Lorenzo.
—The Alameda County Board of Supervisors moved forward on Thursday on a recommendation to change the street Via Mercado to Via Wilma Chan. The block-long street is tucked between Hesperian Boulevard and Via Arriba in District 3, which Chan represented since 2010.
OAKLAND
—GET BACK TO WORK—The Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce is demanding city leaders and candidates for office this fall pledged to fully reopen Oakland City Hall. The chamber held a press conference on Wednesday to ask for a commitment to increase the police force to at least 900 officers, temporarily use parking meter fees and taxes to fund an ambassador presence in local Business Improvement Districts, and vow a return to in-person Oakland City Council meetings by Nov. 1.
—Since Oakland council meetings are notoriously riotous affairs featuring yelling and an occasional serenade, it’s no surprise that councilmembers might be feeling cozy attending the meetings via Zoom. On the whole, as most areas in society have return to normal, most local government meetings are either entirely online or hybrid version with limited seating for the public.
ROUNDUP
—BONTA PONDERS INVESTIGATION—California Attorney General Rob Bonta said on Wednesday that his office is looking into whether there was any political interference in creating Los Angeles County districts. This follows the secret recording of three Los Angeles Supervisors discussing the gaming of district lines.
—KHANNA’S SAUDI BILL—In the aftermath of Saudi Arabia and the OPEC announcing they will slow the production of oil, Fremont and South Bay Rep. Ro Khanna followed President Joe Biden’s discontent with the move, by saying he will introduce legislation in Congress that would halt arm sales the Middle East kingdom.
—BOB STARS IN PODCAST—East Bay State Sen. Bob Wieckowski was featured on Tuesday’s edition of The New York Times’ popular podcast, The Daily. The episode focused on single-family homes and the housing shortage in California. Wieckowski, who is termed out this year, was lauded for legislation that makes it less difficult to build Accessory Dwelling Units, also known as “granny flats.”
CAMPAIGN FINANCE DATA
—IE SPENDING—Below is Form 496 Independent Expenditure Reports from Wednesday through Thursday afternoon.
20TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
—Equality California PAC (Supporting Shawn Kumagai in AD20), Digital Ads ($100,000).
—Nurses and Educators for a Brighter California Future sponsored by labor organizations (Opposing Shawn Kumagai in AD20), Total: $84,193—Mailer ($44,753), Mailer ($15,026), Research ($14,564), Polling ($5,600), Consulting ($4,250).
—Nurses and Educators for a Brighter California Future sponsored by labor organizations (Supporting Liz Ortega-Toro in AD20), Total : $39,440—Mailer ($15,026), Research ($14,564), Polling ($5,600), Consulting ($4,250).
10TH STATE SENATE DISTRICT
—DaVita Inc. Including Aggregated Contributions (Supporting Lily Mei in SD10), Mailer ($82,793).
—MONEYBALL—Below is Form 497 campaign contributions ($1,000 or more) filed Wednesday through Thursday afternoon. *-local city campaign contribution limit.
COUNTY
ALAMEDA COUNTY DEMOCRATS
—Alameda County Democratic Central Committee, Alfred Twu for AC Transit Board 2022, $1,027.
ALAMEDA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY
—Terry Wiley (Alameda County District Attorney), American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees- Council 57 PAC, $5,000.
AC TRANSIT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
—Joel Young (AC Transit Board of Directors-At-Large), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 595 PAC, $1,000.
PERALTA BOARD OF TRUSTEES
—Louis Quindlen (Peralta Community College Board of Trustees-Dist. 3), Peralta Federation of Teachers Committee on Education, $8,000.
—Saleem Gilmore (Peralta Community College Board of Trustees-Dist. 5), Peralta Federation of Teachers Committee on Education, $8,000.
—Seth Steward (Peralta Community College Board of Trustees-Dist. 7), Peralta Federation of Teachers Committee on Education, $8,000.
CITY
OAKLAND
—Citizens for Impactful Elections in Oakland, Supporting Loren Taylor, Ignacio De La Fuente, and Treva Reid for Mayor 2022 (Supporting Oakland mayoral candidates), Ann Spears of Oakland, $4,000; Robert Spears of Oakland, $2,300; Andrea Alfano of Oakland, $3,750.
—Working Families for a Better Oakland Supporting Sheng Thao for Oakland Mayor 2022 (Supporting Thao), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 595 PAC, $25,000.
—Friends of Oakland Public Schools (Supporting Oakland USD Measure H parcel tax renewal), East Bay Asian Youth Center, $20,000.
—Yes on W, Oakland Fair Elections, Sponsored by Civic Advocacy Organizations Committee Address (Supporting Oakland Measure W fair election act parcel), ACLU of Northern California Issues Committee, $1,805.
—Nikki Fortunato Bas (Oakland City Council-Dist. 2), Western States Council of Sheet Metal Workers PAC, $1,800*.
BERKELEY
—Committee for an Affordable and Resilient Berkeley (Supporting Berkeley Measure L affordable housing bond), NPH Action Fund, $15,000; Construction & General Laborers Local Union 304 Issues Committee, $10,000.
ALAMEDA
—Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft (Alameda Mayor), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 595 PAC, $1,500.
—Tony Daysog (Alameda City Council), Reyla Graber of Alameda, $1,500.
—Jim Oddie (Alameda City Council), California Waste Solutions, $2,500, $1,600.
SAN LEANDRO
—Juan Gonzalez (San Leandro Mayor), San Leandro Police Officer’s Association PAC, $4,900*.
HAYWARD
—Julie Roche (Hayward City Council), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 595 PAC, $1,620*.
PLEASANTON
—Jamie Yee (Pleasanton City Council-Dist. 3), Raindrop Investments, LLC, $2,500.
—Committee for PUSD Students (Supporting Pleasanton USD Measure I infrastructure bond), Ken Wenham of El Dorado Hills, Calif., $2,500; Harvest Park Middle School PTSA, $1,999.
STATE LEGISLATURE
20TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
—Liz Ortega-Toro (20th Assembly District), California Latino PAC, $4,900.
—Shawn Kumagai (20th Assembly District), Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, $2,000.
18TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
—Mia Bonta (18th Assembly District), California Optometric PAC, $4,900; JPMorgan Chase & Co. PAC, $2,000; Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, $2,000; Maersk Agency USA, $1,500.
16TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT
—Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (16th Assembly District), Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, $2,000; California Mortgage Bankers Association PAC, $1,500.
—Joe Rubay (16th Assembly District), Roger F. Smith of Alamo, $2,000.