The "Who" Of the Story: Who Is the LB Chamber of Commerce PAC?

(Mar. 11, 2012) -- Who is the LB Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee (PAC)? Who decides what candidates it supports and opposes? How many people make its decisions?

It's the basic "who" of stories that refer to the LB Chamber PAC and LB's upcoming elections.

Roughly two months have passed since the Chamber PAC announced its support for Lillian Kawasaki in the 8th Council district race. On the day the Chamber PAC issued its release, LBReport.com emailed Randy Gordon (listed as contact on the release) and indicated that for precision, we'd like to know the composition of the Chamber PAC's decision-making (endorsement-deciding) body for its 2012 Council endorsements.

On March 9, 2012 LBReport.com learned and was first (again) to report the arrival of a mailer, website and robo calls funded by the Chamber PAC (urging voters not to write-in 4th district incumbent Councilman O'Donnell's name for a third term). We used the newsworthy event to ask Mr. Gordon (again) by email about the LB PAC's composition; he replied swiftly on matters related to its activities in the 4th district race...but we still have no info from him on the Chamber PAC's composition.

Accordingly, LBReport.com reports information we've independently gleaned about the LB Chamber PAC (which operates under the name "Long Beach Jobs PAC".

Candidate Daryl Supernaw told LBReport.com that four Chamber PAC representatives interviewed him in January, 2012:

• LaDonna DiCamillo, Exec. Director, Govt. Affairs, BNSF Railway

• Lori Lofstrom, Partner, Holmes Lofstrom law firm; former Board Chair, LB Area Chamber of Commerce; Vice-Chair of Public Policy, Gov't Affairs Committee chair for LB Chamber; President of LB Chamber's Women’s Business Council

• Randy Gordon, CEO & President, LB Area Chamber of Commerce

• Josh Owen, President, Ability Tri-Modal Transportation Services

Candidate John Watkins told LBReport.com that all of the foregoing individuals were present in his Chamber PAC candidate interview session...as well as Jerry Miller (Chamber Board chair elect and former LB City Manager) and Blake Christian (former Chamber board chair).

The CA Secretary of State's office indicates that from Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2011, the Chamber PAC collected $8,610...and spent $20,340.59 (using sums it collected in previous years, see below), leaving it with $2,458.12 at the end of 2011.

The following were the Chamber PAC's major contributors in 2011. (Sec'y of State website indicates first listed date is "transaction date," the second is "filed date")

FARMERS & MERCHANTS BANK MONETARY LONG BEACH CA/90802
$2,000.00 6/30/2011 8/5/2011 1603037-INC793

WORTHINGTON FORD MONETARY LONG BEACH CA/90815
$1,000.00 10/6/2011 1/24/2012 1631154-INC847

TRI-MODAL DISTRIBUTION SERVICES MONETARY LONG BEACH CA/90810
$1,000.00 3/2/2011 8/5/2011 1603037-INC750

The following were the Chamber PAC's major contributors in 2010:

BNSF RAILWAY CO. MONETARY FORT WORTH TX/76131
$5,000.00 1/8/2009 7/29/2009 1435412-INC500
BNSF RAILWAY CO. MONETARY FORT WORTH TX/76131
$5,000.00 12/28/2009 1/11/2010 1457362-INC612
BNSF RAILWAY CO. MONETARY FORT WORTH TX/76131
$5,000.00 12/20/2010 1/18/2011 1560576-INC727

PARTNERSHIP FOR CALIF. TRADE MONETARY SACRAMENTO CA/95814 ID NUMBER 1291535
$2,000.00 2/19/2009 7/29/2009 1435412-INC516
PARTNERSHIP FOR CALIF. TRADE MONETARY SACRAMENTO CA/95814 ID # 1291535
$5,000.00 6/17/2010 7/29/2010 1505811-INC664

FARMERS & MERCHANTS BANK MONETARY LONG BEACH CA/90802
$2,000.00 2/5/2009 7/29/2009 1435412-INC511
FARMERS & MERCHANTS BANK MONETARY LONG BEACH CA/90802
$2,000.00 2/16/2010 7/29/2010 1505811-INC633

TRI-MODAL DISTRIBUTION SERVICES MONETARY LONG BEACH CA/90810
$1,000.00 8/1/2009 1/11/2010 1457362-INC556
TRI-MODAL DISTRIBUTION SERVICES MONETARY LONG BEACH CA/90810
$1,000.00 3/25/2010 7/29/2010 1505811-INC643

IMC CO. MONETARY LONG BEACH CA/90803
$1,000.00 9/14/2009 1/11/2010 1457362-INC570

The Chamber PAC made the following contributions in 2011:

• 06/28/2011 CALIF. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PAC MONETARY $2,500.00

• 10/04/2011 RE-ELECT SUPERVISOR KNABE 2012 COUNTY SUPERVISOR SUPPORT MONETARY $1,500.00

• 04/15/2011 RE-ELECT SUPERVISOR KNABE 2012 COUNTY SUPERVISOR SUPPORT MONETARY $1,000.00

Note: For the past five years, Supervisor Knabe has assisted the Chamber's membership arm by delivering a speech at what the Chamber presents as a "State of the County" message. [There is no official "State of the County" address.] The event is one of the Chamber's main fundraising events, implemented after Mayor Bob Foster ended the practice of predecessor Mayor Beverly O'Neill who allowed the Chamber to turn the city's official "State of the City" message into a fundraiser for itself.

The Chamber's (outgoing) board chair (membership group) is Joanne Davis. In June, 2011, the Long Beach Business Journal quoted Ms. Davis as saying that she is "working with John Watkins for Long Beach’s 4th Council District."