By Roger Straw, October 30, 2018
[For PAC income report, see ANTI-BIRDSEYE PAC SPENDS ANOTHER $58,000, TOTAL NOW OVER $135,000.]

The latest campaign finance reports posted by the City of Benicia show that the Anti-Birdseye (Texas-Valero/Labor “Working Families”) PAC has spent additional funds totaling $57,997 on the following:

• $3,283 on 11/1 for “Live Calls” scripted against Birdseye and in support of Birdseye’s opponents, and paid to Winning Connections of Washington, D.C.
• $523 on 11/03 for Door Hangers opposing Birdseye and in support of her opponents.
• $38,192 on  11/03 for “Canvassing” (media buys) paid to Digital Turf of Kennebunk, ME.  (Previous buys paid to Digital Turf were designated “media buys”. That is likely what this report is for.)
• $8,000 on 10/27 and another $8,000 on 10/30 for Mailers paid to Digital Turf of Kennebunk, ME.

The reports show cumulative PAC totals spent:

• For Strawbridge, new spending of $28, 178, TOTAL of $52,652
• For Largaespada, new spending of $29,819, TOTAL of $61,582
• Strictly against Birdseye, $21,432.31
• TOTAL PAC SPENDING TO DATE: $135,666

Compare these totals to those spent by the individual campaigns:

• Strawbridge campaign, $24,354
• Largaespada campaign, $14,348
• Birdseye campaign, $17,076
• TOTAL OF ALL THREE CAMPAIGNS, $55,778

And the PAC still has over $59,000 to spend in the last few days before the election!  (LATE BREAKING – Reports indicate that the PAC most likely spent considerable additional funds on an attorney, whose letter was sent today challenging Benicia Open Government Commission’s Final Word forum.  One estimate is that such a letter could cost around $20,000!  More on that later…)

I’VE SAID IT BEFORE, BUT IT BEARS REPEATING: Corporations can throw their money around for and against candidates, but they don’t get to VOTE.  Living, breathing humans cast ballots and make all the difference.  Please vote for Kari Birdseye!