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LB Chamber Political Action Committee ("Jobs PAC") and Police/Fire & Labor PACs Collecting/Spending Heavily Trying To Affect LB Council Election Outcomes



(April 2, 2012) -- Who's giving money -- without LB voter-enacted limits as a result of a 2009 LB Chamber of Commerce lawsuit -- to political action commitees collecting contributions and waging independent (non-candidate run) campaigns to try and influence the outcome of election outcomes in the City of Long Beach?

A LB Chamber of Commerce related PAC -- dubbed "Long Beach Jobs PAC" -- lists Farmers & Merchants Bank aas the largest contributor in recent filings, providing $25,000 ($10,000 listed in Chamber PAC paperwork supporting Lillian Kawasaki and $15,000 in paperwork supporting John Watkins).

BNSF railway is listed as giving the Chamber PAC $20,000 but "not used for candidate support or opposition."

T Management Services gave $5,000 to the Chamber PAC...and is owned by Councilman Gary DeLong. [The $5k sum is listed in Chamber PAC paperwork supporting Kawasaki and as well as Watkins but Councilman DeLong indicates it was a single contribution by his company not for any specific candidate.] Asked for comment, the 3rd district incumbent and Congressional candidate emailed us this:

I support the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce’s pro-business policies and my company made a single contribution to their all purpose PAC that supports local school board, city council and state candidates. The contribution is not directed toward any individual candidate.

I believe it is essential that more people are elected to public office who understand how the private sector works and will create policies to support economic growth.

Independent campaign activities are entirely proper (guaranteed by the 1st Amendment) but under state law must be conducted completely independently of candidates and their campaigns (not coordinated with or made with knowledge of what candidate is doing).

There are no longer any limits on sums collected by independent PACs (whether business or labor or any other PACs) for independent activities in Long Beach elections...although campaigns run by the candidates themselves remain limited in contribution amounts they can accept.) Below are some of the larger contributions listed by the Chamber PAC (not a complete list; we provide link to full filings below]

Long Beach Jobs PAC (Chamber PAC)
The Chamber PAC is a separate entity, legally and fiscally, from the Chamber's dues-supported membership body; the Chamber says no membership or general fund revenue are used to fund the Chamber PAC and the Chamber PAC runs on campaign contributions.

Listed in Chamber PAC paperwork supporting Lillian Kawasaki:

Farmers & Merchants Bank$10,000 (3/2/12)
T Management Services, Inc.
Long Beach
$5,000 (3/12)
Bob Braly, Seal Beach, CA, listed as Executive, Energy Tubulars, Inc.$2,500 (3/12)

Listed in paperwork supporting John Watkins:

Farmers & Merchants Bank$15,000 (3/12/12)
T Management Services, Inc.
Long Beach
$5,000 (3/12) [caveat: we believe this is duplicate]
Bob Braly, Seal Beach, CA, listed as Executive, Energy Tubulars, Inc.$2,500 (3/12) [unclear if this is duplicate]

For what did the Chamber PAC pay?

  • For Mr. Watkins, the Chamber PAC lists a mass mailing ($4,123, 3/14), phonebanks ($412, 3/14), voter lists ($712, 3/16) and phone banks ($3?2, 3/16).
  • For Kawasaki, the Chamber listed a $4,373 mass mailing (Mar. 14).

    For the Chamber PAC's filings, click here

    Still a mystery to us: who is/are the Chamber PAC? Who are the individuals and what are the business affiliations of those who decide what candidates the Chamber PAC supports and opposes? Our inquiry on this emailed weeks ago to Chamber President/CEO Randy Gordon remains pending.

    In ELB's 4th Council district race, Mr. Watkins (a retired LBPD Sergeant) is on the ballot against Daryl Supernaw (Atherton Corridor Neighborhood Ass'n Pres./Sustainable City Comm'r). The LB Police Officers Ass'n PAC, Firefighters Ass'n PAC and labor groups are backing incumbent 4th dist. Councilman Patrick O'Donnell (seeking a third term via write-in).

    In the 8th Council district, the Chamber PAC is backing Lillian Kawasaki (also supported by incumbent Mayor Bob Foster, former LB Mayor Beverly O'Neill). The LB Police Officers Ass'n PAC, Firefighters Ass'n PAC and labor groups are supporting Al Austin (whose endorsers include current Councilwoman Rae Gabelich).

    The Los Angeles County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO Council on Political Education lists "Field Program Expenses" from March 26-April 1 of $5,000 in support of Al Austin, and $5,000 in support of Patrick O'Donnell. On March 14, the group indicated an estimated $500 in phone banking expenses for Austin and an estimated $500 for O'Donnell. [There is one intervening bad link on the City Clerk's website for this group that we couldn't access.]

    The Long Beach Police Officers Ass'n PAC and LB Firefighters Ass'n PAC list multiple notifications indicating that they've made independent expenditure of more than $250 in support of Councilman O'Donnell and Mr. Austin with no itemized details as of midday today (April 2).

    A final note: no matter how much money political action committees collect and spend, individual voters have the power in this process. At the end of the day, in the privacy of a voting booth or at home, voters decide whether to accept or reject the money, mailers and messages and vote as they please. Those decisions [as well as voters' choice in the 2nd Council district, separate story coming] are taking place now with vote by mail ballots flying; polling place election day is April 10). The outcomes will determine who will have decisionmaking powers on spending priorities, development decisions and policies impacting the City of Long Beach citywide.



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