The state Legislature barely had time to put a redistricting measure on the ballot when the first two mailers arrived at my house denouncing the plan as “unconstitutional gerrymandering” and a “politician power grab” that is “weakening our democratic process.”
Among the people quoted as appearing to reject the measure: Alex Lee, an assemblymember and chair of the Progressive Caucus, who told Politico in July that “trying to save democracy by destroying democracy is dangerous.” But Lee, along with nearly every Democrat, voted in favor of the new lines.
There’s no question this is a race to the bottom, a blatantly partisan move to elect more Democrats to Congress from California. It’s also one of the few ways opponents of Donald Trump (talk about destroying democracy …) can counter a blatantly partisan move by Trump’s allies to gerrymander districts in Texas to get more Republicans elected.
Here’s the interesting thing: The mailers appear to be funded by Charles Munger Jr, the son of a billionaire investor who portrays himself as a supporter of fair elections. He was a leading proponent of the 2010 law that created an independent commission to draw legislative and congressional districts in California.
The Hold Politicians Accountable committee, which paid for one of the mailers, hasn’t filed yet with the Fair Political Practices Commission. But Politico reports that Munger Jr. has already put up $10 million.
He will no doubt donate more.
Charles Munger Sr. was a partner with Warren Buffett in Berkshire Hathaway and a philanthropist. The younger Munger has donated millions to political candidates and causes—and most of his donations have gone to Republicans.
According to records on file with the Federal Elections Commission, he put $150,000 into Kevin McCarthy’s GOP Senate victory fund, $650,000 to the GOP Congressional victory fund, and is one of the biggest supporters of the Santa Clara County Republican Party. He has given millions to the “Spirit of Democracy” PAC which supports Republican candidate for local and federal offices.
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So we aren’t exactly talking about a nonpartisan good-government activist.
The Democrats have figured out that Munger’s nonprofit has given $158,000 to groups that oppose abortion rights and LGBTQ+ rights.
So I expect to see another mailer soon saying that the person paying for the “protect democracy” ads is on the side of those who are helping Trump destroy democracy.
It’s going to be a wild and crazy fall.
The Democratic County Central Committee will vote Wednesday/27 on its endorsement in the recall of Sup. Joel Engardio. It will also consider a resolution opposing Mayor Daniel Lurie’s “Family Zoning Plan” unless it’s amended to protect existing vulnerable small businesses.
The recall vote has been delayed over the summer, apparently because the No side didn’t have the votes. Now, I am told, Todd David, the political consultant and director of Abundant SF, has been working behind the scenes to try to bring around members who are concerned that the recall is popular not just on the West Side but in the Chinese community.
Ballots have already arrived in mailboxes, and many have already been returned. So the party, by waiting until the last minute to take a vote, may have rendered its endorsement fairly meaningless. But if the DCCC votes No on the recall, Engardio’s campaign, which has essentially limitless money, will flood every registered Democrat’s mailbox and phone with the news.
On the other hand, West Side voters helped elect a billionaire-backed slate for the DCCC—and they may be a bit angry if that slate delivers a victory to Engardio.
The Lurie zoning plan will be a huge test for the DCCC, particularly (once again) for West Side voters. Upzoning neighborhoods is not popular in the single-family districts of the Richmond and the Sunset. The Small Business Commission has voted against the plan, which threatens community merchants. There’s growing opposition: The mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, is now against SB 79.
The Yimby grip on the local Democratic Party is strong; the billionaire slate was a Yimby slate. But a lot of the more conservative Democrats who supported these candidates don’t want to see bulldozers tearing down lowrise buildings occupied by neighborhood-serving merchants in the name of taller luxury housing.
The resolution, by former Sup. Gordon Mar, states that nearly one third of small businesses in neighborhood corridors (anbd as many as half along Geary) could face displacement under the plan. Mar is asking the the plan be amended to include “strong, enforceable protections” for small businesses.
The problem: The state won’t allow those protections. Wiener isn’t interested in including, say, commercial rent control or a right to return at the old rent if a building is demolished and rebuilt.
The meeting starts as 6:30pm at the Ruth Williams Bayview Opera House and will be streamed live (info here). Members of the public can show up for comments.
