Gwynn Family Backs Bob Filner, Tax Liens Highlighted by Union-Tribune
Over the years, the business tribulations of Padres baseball hero Tony Gwynn have made occasional news. Back in December 1999 we reported about the slugger's battle with the big downtown San Diego law firm of Seltzer, Caplan, Wilkins and McMahon …
Union-Tribune Owner's Family Members Climb Aboard Romney Presidential Bandwagon
As noted here earlier, Union-Tribune owner Douglas F. Manchester has been a long-time financial supporter of presumptive GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney. Back in January, Manchester gave $25,000 to the Romney-backing Super PAC, "Restore our Future," on top of the …
Escondido Organic Soap Magnate Wades into Colorado Pot Fray with $50,000.
David Bronner, president and CEO of Escondido-based Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, a prosperous maker of organic cleaning products, is anteing up $50,000 for a marijuana legalization campaign in the state of Colorado, according to news reports from Denver. An account …
Corporations Pour Last Minute Money into Downtown Interests' PAC Backing Steve Danon
California redevelopment may be a thing of the past, but San Diego's downtown redevelopment lobbying group is still in business. According to disclosure filings posted online by the San Diego county Registrar of Voters, the Downtown San Diego Partnership's "San …
L.A. Cop Union PAC, Other Police Union PACs, Pouring Last Minute Money into Anti-DeMaio TV Spots
Sergeant Joe Friday used to say in the vintage radio and TV series Dragnet, "This is the city, Los Angeles, California. I work here, I carry a badge." These days he might add, "We were working the day-watch out of …
Chargers' Mark Fabiani Gives Big to New York Critic of Billionaire Mayor Bloomberg
After New York City's billionaire mayor Mike Bloomberg jumped the continent yesterday to endorse former GOP, now independent, Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, we wondered if any San Diegans had deigned to return the favor and play in the sandbox of Big …
Bloomberg Endorsement of San Diego's Fletcher Focuses Spotlight on New York Intrigue
News late today that New York's billionaire mayor Michael Bloomberg had endorsed newly-minted independent California Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher for mayor of San Diego caught many by surprise. But whether or not Bloomberg's backing can lift the 35-year-old Fletcher from his …
Nonprofit News Donor and Qualcomm Founder Irwin Jacobs Backs Prop 29 Tobacco Tax Measure
La Jolla billionaire Irwin Jacobs, who has bankrolled the newsroom at San Diego State University's owned-and-operated public televsion station KPBS and helped finance at least one other San Diego non-profit news operation, has opened his deep pockets for Proposition 29, …
Storied Mobster's Associate Gives Big to Prop B and DeMaio Campaigns
A longtime associate of storied Las Vegas mobster Moe Dalitz has become a major backer of the campaign for Proposition B, the so-called pension reform measure that has been a key talking point for San Diego city councilman Carl DeMaio …
Liquor Store Group Run by Outspoken Chaldean Leader Mails Hit Pieces Against Filner
The Neighborhood Market Association, a La Mesa-based trade group of liquor stores and markets run by Mark Arabo, an outspoken Chaldean Christian leader, has mailed at least two separate hit pieces against Democratic Congressman Bob Filner, a candidate for mayor …
Bilbray and Issa Aides Take Off on Posh Congressional Chiefs of Staff Retreat
In February we reported that two members of Republican congressman Darrell Issa's staff had hit the road, thanks to well-heeled special interests. First, Laurent Morgan Crenshaw, an Issa legislative aide, headed for Las Vegas to attend the gadget-filled Consumer Electronics …
Some of La Jolla's Richest and an L.A. Casino Operator Kick in Big for Fletcher
The most recent campaign disclosure report for San Diegans for Nathan Fletcher - Mayor 2012, posted online earlier today by the San Diego city clerk's office, reveals a virtual Blue Book of La Jolla contributors to the cause of the …
Booze Merchants Association Gives Big to Fletcher Mayoral Campaign
The La Mesa-based Neighborhood Market Association, a group representing liquor stores and other retail alcohol outlets in San Diego and other cities in the county - and that has been fined by the city's ethics commission for prior campaign disclosure …
San Diego U-T CEO Suggested Use of Paper's News Clout in Sign Dispute, City Emails Show
John Lynch, chief executive officer of the San Diego U-T, formerly known as the Union-Tribune, thought of ordering the paper to run a story about a threat by the city to fine the U-T for what officials said were illegal …
Widow of Steve Jobs Gives $25,000 to Tax Measure Also Backed by Wealthy San Diego Donors
According to state political finance records, Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple Computer's Steve Jobs, has come up with $25,000 for the campaign for voter approval of Prop. 29, the June ballot measure that would add a dollar per …
Federal Election Commission Cites "Problems" with Filner 2012 Campaign Committee Disclosures
The U.S. Federal Election Commission, which enforces federal campaign finance laws, has told Democratic congressman and San Diego mayoral candidate Bob Filner that he can't fold his congressional campaign committee until "problems" are resolved regarding information contained in previous filings. …
Rancho Santa Fe's Democratic Soft Money Queen Dating Al Gore, says Washington Post
Over the years, we've reported on the very big money that longtime Rancho Santa Fe denizen Liz Keadle has given to a vast array of Democratic causes. One of few liberal political donors in the traditionally Republican zip code of …
La Jolla Billionaire Linked to Pro-Fletcher Super PAC Intending to Raise "Unlimited" Funds
A newly formed federal super PAC with links to La Jolla billionaire Ted Waitt has launched a website feauring a series of TV commercials on behalf of a group of candidates proclaiming themselves to be independents. At the top of …
Ex-La Mesa Gas Station Owner Who Hired 9/11 Hijacker Faces Fraud and Money Laundering Charges
Osama Mahmud “Sam” Mustafa--who gained notoriety here after it came to light that one of the September 11, 2001 hijackers worked in a gas station he owned in La Mesa--is back in the news again. Mustafa, 49, who now lives …
City Attorney Says Mayor and Council Can't Censor City Hall Lobby Exhibits
Can San Diego's mayor and city council arbitrarily deny someone exhibit space in the lobby of city hall? No, says City Attorney Jan Goldsmith in a May 4 legal opinion that suggests the city may have opened a Pandora's Box …