Of Prop 8 and Filipinos

San Diego’s Republican Party outraised its Democratic rivals during the month of February by a hefty margin, recent disclosures show. The GOP took in $28,512, its monthly federal campaign report says. Democrats got just $8485. Republican donors included Rancho Santa Fe contractor Doug Barnhart ($1000); San Diego Superior Court Judge Pro Tem Ken Gosselin of Oceanside ($1000); Garland Peed, the San Diego deputy city attorney who last year lost his own judicial bid to conservative GOP insurgent Gary Kreep ($250); the California Restaurant Association ($2500); San Diego developer Sudberry Properties ($1000); and Claire Reiss of La Jolla’s Reisung Enterprises, who, according to the Los Angeles Times, previously gave $1 million to the campaign for the campaign in favor of Proposition 8, the same sex marriage ban ($1000).

Democratic donors included El Cajon’s Amad Attisha, president of Venture Petroleum Company ($5000) and Anthony Olaes of Poway, president of Olaes Enterprises ($1000). Olaes is also CEO and chairman of Gawad Kalinga USA, a group that, according to its website, seeks “to raise awareness among born and/or raised Filipinos in the U.S. about the essence of being a Filipino by identifying a common thread that binds us together as belonging to a people with common descent.” San Diego’s Democratic mayor Bob Filner was a major backer of Filipino issues while a congressman.

For Republicans, major expenditures included $7930 paid to Golden State Consultants, run by political consultant and fundraiser Ashley Hayek, who, according to her company website, “began her career interning for Assemblyman George Plescia, Associated Builders and Contractors PAC, and the Republican Party. She began working for the Lincoln Club of San Diego County orchestrating membership communication, coordinating fundraising events, and managing legislative activities.” In addition to the local GOP, Hayek has also expressed support on Twitter for Dwayne Crenshaw, running against fellow Democrat Myrtle Cole for San Diego’s fourth district city council seat. Democratic expenses included $25 for a job posting on Craigslist and $12,500 to the Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa for the party’s annual 2013 dinner.