Mayor raises big money for One San Diego

San Diego mayor Kevin Faulconer, who appears to have successfully survived the worst of the downtown homeless hepatitis crisis that hit the city last year, has lately been raising big money for his One San Diego nonprofit, sponsor of his annual Thanksgiving-turkey giveaway to the poor. Among $5000 donors so far in 2018 having business at city hall have been Pardee Homes, Vulcan Materials, Affirmed Housing, AMR Management, Mission Valley developer Sudberry Properties, Sycuan, and the GEO Group Foundation, sponsored by a Boca Raton, Florida, company that runs private jails.

Another $5000 donor was the Deason Foundation, run by Doug Deason, son of controversial part-time La Jolla billionaire Darwin Deason. The younger Deason authored an op-ed piece in the New York Times in favor of criminal justice reform, backed by the foundation. “Like many 17-year-olds, I did something stupid. It was 1979, and I threw a party at the home of neighbors while they were out of town. (Their son had given me a key.) The party got out of hand, ultimately getting the attention of the police. I was charged with felony burglary,” wrote Deason. “ I ultimately pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor criminal trespass charge — a significant step down from felony burglary. My punishment included a six-month probationary sentence and a fine. When my probation was complete, my youthful indiscretion was expunged from my record. I was given a second chance.”