The GOP's Scott Sherman

Lobbyists for Sempra Energy were kept busy during the last quarter of 2012, arranging a mass handout of political largesse to San Diego city council and mayoral candidates. Under the city’s ethics ordinance, the maximum amount a single donor is allowed to give a council candidate is $500, so a virtual army of Sempra employees was needed to supply enough cash to make an impression. Among same-day post-election donors, Jessie Knight, Francisco Urtasun, Michelle Mueller, Pamela Fair, Woodrow Smith, Matt Burkhart, and James Avery, all with $150 each to the GOP’s Scott Sherman on November 14. Robert Schlax and Scott Drury gave $100 to Sherman the same day. Michael R Niggli, who gave $250 to Sherman that day, also came up with the same for Republican mayoral candidate Carl DeMaio on October 31. Not to be outdone, Urtasun, a former port district board member, wrote a $250 check to the campaign fund of Democratic mayor Bob Filner on December 11. He also gave 4th District city-council hopeful Dwayne Crenshaw $100 on December 31.