calmatters.org

Under the headline “Buried treasure: California politicians stash $35 million in leftover campaign cash,” CalMatters reported on December 27 that Lorena Gonzalez had, in May, set up a new political committee called The Future of Workers Action Fund.

Lorena’s loot

Given that traditional local news outlets suffer financial duress and the Union-Tribune is expected to go exclusively online most days of the week, the word that ex-Assembly Democrat Lorena Gonzalez has set up a $1.1 million political slush fund with leftover campaign contributions ended up being broken by CalMatters, the Sacramento non-profit website.

Under the headline “Buried treasure: California politicians stash $35 million in leftover campaign cash,” CalMatters reported on December 27 that Gonzalez had, in May, set up a new political committee called The Future of Workers Action Fund.

Lorena Gonzalez: funding the future.

Spokesperson Evan McLaughlin, in a text message, declined to provide further information on the goal of the account ‘beyond the obvious motivation reflected in the committee’s name and the reputation of its sponsor,’” CalMatters reported. The piece added that the cash, raised from a bevy of special interests during Gonzalez’s time in the legislature and as a one-time state Secretary of State hopeful, could have been refunded to donors, though that is a “rarely used option” among California elected officials.

Through September 24, the most recent disclosure period, the sole recipient has been Retirees for Walker for CalPERS 2022, which got $1000 on July 17. Beneficiary Yvonne Walker “is the unofficial winner of the runoff election for the retired member seat on the CalPERS Board of Administration,” according to a December 8 CalPERS release. She is the ex-boss of Local 1000 of the Service Employees International Union, “coordinating with other unions to shepherd through proposals for a $15 minimum wage and housing affordability,” according to a December 9 Sacramento Bee account.

Gonzalez, who currently runs the California Labor Federation, is widely expected to spend much of the remaining funds to aid the political career of her husband, San Diego County supervisor Nathan Fletcher, serving his final term before being timed out of office, and currently talked of as a potential state Senate candidate.

Fletcher’s first supervisor bid in 2018 was boosted by six-figure transfers of Gonzalez’s campaign cash to the San Diego County Democratic Party, which backed Fletcher using so-called member communications to avoid campaign contribution limits and conceal the true sources of the funds.

Another sign that Fletcher is gearing up for a busy political future is the campaign-like nature of his County website, adorned with the headline “We Changed San Diego County” over links to twelve YouTube videos promoting what the site says are his achievements over the past four years, including boosting county cash for mental health and homeless services.

Nathan Fletcher: a well-funded future?

A paean to the supervisor in the form of a December 28 Union-Tribune B-1 column by Michael Smolens drives home Fletcher’s talking points, but does not mention Gonzalez’s ready stash of political cash. A 2024 battle for the state senate seat of lieutenant governor hopeful Toni Atkins looms.

“The County government is much different than it was when Fletcher was elected four years ago,” reads the column. “There have been big investments in mental and behavioral health care, more attention to homelessness and housing, an overhauled climate plan, a reversal on suburban-style development in outlying areas, greater focus on poorer and traditionally underserved communities, increased social services, better pay for county workers and improved access to county government.”

Republicans haven’t been completely silent in the face of Fletcher’s juggernaut, most notably KUSI TV, owned by longtime GOP donor Mike McKinnon. “Our San Diego County Supervisors have tried housing the homeless in hotels throughout the county, mainly in El Cajon, but the results have been increased crime and drug use at the locations,” says a December 23 introduction to an interview with news director Steve Cohen on the station’s website. “So that program is clearly failing, yet our elected officials from both sides of the aisle constantly lie, saying the situation is improving.”

Expensively astute

Another locally unreported but potentially costly part of Nathan Fletcher’s campaign puzzle is coming into view in the form of a national recruiting drive for a new county chief administrative officer. “The salary for this position is highly competitive for the region, with generous executive level benefits, including [San Diego County Employees Retirement Association] retirement. The board will also consider reimbursement of moving and relocation expenses for the selected candidate to encourage participation on a broader scale,” per a job post by Ralph Andersen & Associates. “Requires a Bachelor’s degree and significant, substantial, and relevant executive-level experience. County-related experience, particularly in California, is desired, although all highly qualified candidates on a national basis will be given full consideration. A Master’s degree or advanced degree is preferred. Knowledge and experience in working in the greater San Diego region or Southern California is a definite plus.” Adds the recruiting brochure: “This position requires someone who is politically astute with superior interpersonal and communication skills.”

The current Chief Administrative Officer, Helen N. Robbins-Meyer, who is retiring after 25 years with the county, received a total of $566,309 in pay and benefits last year, according to the website TransparentCalifornia.com. “With a complete changeover of board membership firmly in place, community partnerships and staff levels strengthened, and the County in sound fiscal shape, Robbins-Meyer felt the time was right to let a new CAO move the County forward,” explains a county news release.

— Matt Potter

(@sdmattpotter)

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