Juan’s campaign laundry

Freshman Democratic congressman Juan Vargas has many political mouths to feed. In addition to tending this year’s campaign fund, Vargas has been raising cash for his 2010 California senate election committee, which still owes about $200,000 to some apparently very patient creditors. During the first half of this year, according to a recently filed disclosure statement, the congressman, expected by most observers to be easily reelected in his solid Democratic district, raised $33,000 through his congressional committee from such national donors as the Dealers Election Action Committee of the National Automobile Dealers Association ($2500), the National Beer Wholesalers Association PAC ($2500); and the Humana, Inc. PAC ($2500). The money was then diverted into the Vargas state campaign committee. Old creditors getting their due included political consultant Shallman Communications of Encino, which received $20,000, leaving $52,000 yet to be paid, and longtime Vargas campaign intimate George Bresnahan, who picked up $15,000, and is still owed $47,000. …

So far, there’s been no announcement about whether foes of the new minimum-wage law passed by the San Diego City Council are going to do anything about it. But a new political committee registered July 14 with the city clerk may provide a hint. Calling itself the “San Diego Small Business Association sponsored by the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce,” the group has been established to deal with the “Minimum Wage Increase — Measure TBD [to be determined].”