Juan Vargas’s July pay drop

Democratic congressman Juan Vargas, who has a safe seat, continues to pay off old debts from his days in the California state senate. An August 6 filing covering the period of last month shows his 2010 state fund picked up $10,000 via his congressional campaign committee from a variety of special interests with business in Washington.

They included the United Health Group PAC, which gave $2400 on July 8, and the big accounting firm KPMG’s PAC, with $3500 July 20. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association PAC came up with $1500 and the National Air Traffic Controllers PAC gave $400. The cash went to pay off a final $10,000 debt the fund had to former campaign aide Jim Anderson, who back in June 2013 was owed $53,000.

An ex-Vargas legislative chief of staff, Anderson has since gone on to become political director of the Personal Insurance Federation of California. He now represents the association “before hundreds of candidates running for public office in California,” according to its website.

Ex–San Diego city manager Jack McGrory, who grew rich after quitting his job to work for John Moores and his downtown Padres ballpark, is spreading a bit of his wealth to San Diego State University basketball coach Steve Fisher.

According to disclosure statements filed with the school, McGrory picked up $750 worth of round-trip travel July 13 for Fisher’s “Wooden Legacy honoring by the California Legislature.” In addition to Fisher himself, SDSU president Elliot Hirshman and athletic director James Sterk got in on the freebie.

They have a way to go before catching up with the GOP Lincoln Club, but the newly formed San Diego Socialist Campaign managed to raise $2419 during the first half of the year. Donors included San Diego Gas & Electric engineer Rebecca Marcotte, with $120, and attorney Rachel Scoma, the same. The San Diego Chapter of the International Socialist Organization kicked in $200 worth of meeting-space use.