Check out the numbers – The Valero PAC spent nearly a half-million dollars in 2018-2020 – what’s next for this year?
By Roger Straw, September 28, 2022
Roger Straw, The Benicia Independent
The Valero Political Action Committee (“Working Families” PAC) has amassed nearly a quarter-million dollars this year to influence Benicia’s November election. A new report, due on September 29 and likely to be made public sometime next week, will surely add to the $232,387 the PAC reported earlier this year.
The new report will also give some ideas as to how the Big Oil and Valero-based labor groups are spending their fortune this year. Stay tuned.
The Valero PAC’s August 1 financial disclosure form shows cash of over a quarter-million dollars to influence Benicia elections.
A friend asked me how much the PAC spent to buy seats on Benicia’s City Council in our 2018 and 2020 elections, so I went back over the City of Benicia’s archive of mandatory campaign finance reports.
As you read these massive Big Oil numbers, keep in mind that individual real-live Benicia candidates for election – our neighbors and community leaders – have all signed onto the City’s voluntary spending limit of $34,790.
2018 – the Valero PAC spent $192,347
2020 – the Valero PAC spent $253,878
2022 – the Valero PAC has on hand $232,387
Total in these 3 small town elections $678,612
I think this stinks. A Texas corporation has no business exercising a vise grip and invasive control over its host village.
As of today, it’s too soon to know if and how Valero will spend its campaign cash. We can be sure they will back the same candidates they backed in 2018 and 2020: Christina Strawbridge and Lionel Largaespada. Whether the PAC has learned to play nice is still a question. Either way, it is simply not right that they stick their noses into our local election.
I have endorsed and spent time and finances this summer and fall supporting the following candidates – I hope you will, too!
In her letter to the editor in the Benicia Herald on September 23, 2022, my friend Patty Gavin quoted me writing to Christina Strawbridge “Thanks for your commitment to the arts…”. Unfortunately, she inadvertently implies that I am supporting Christina in the upcoming elections. To be clear I am strongly supporting Kari Birdseye and Terry Scott for City Council. So strongly in fact that my wife and I have spent hundreds of hours working with a talented group of people organizing scores of local artists to create colorful, creative, one-of-a-kind campaign yard signs for Kari and Terry. Watch for them around town and on social media.
Kari has kept a steady hand on the rudder as Chair of our Planning Commission, doing her homework, making careful decisions, guiding us through difficult times. Terry has shown boundless energy as Chair of our Arts and Culture Commission, working to open up the Majestic Theater, bringing Shakespeare in the Park, facilitating concerts by the Golden Gate Symphony with their Benicia Chorus, working to fund all our local arts nonprofits, and bringing a flowering of public art to town, crowned by the stunning “Neptune’s Daughter” sculpture gazing out from our waterfront. Kari and Terry will bring new energy and new ideas that our Council clearly needs.
I personally like both Christina Strawbridge and Lionel Largaespada. However, Lionel is still a Republican who leans toward short-term thinking, and Christina has been weak on crucial issues. Both have been compromised by our elephant in the room, Valero.
I do NOT want to live in a “company town”. Lionel works for a company that does business with Valero. Christina is married to a man with powerful connections to pro-Valero Unions. She has been working behind the scenes to obtain funding from Valero for a multi-use soccer field. Though Christina and Lionel publicly deny any connection to Valero, I find it troubling that Valero spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to support them in past elections, and to discredit Kari Birdseye and Mayor Steve Young. What does Valero know that we don’t?
I know that whoever wins our two City Council seats will be decent people who care about Benicia, but I don’t want them beholden to big oil. I want them to be focused on keeping Benicia safe, clean, culturally engaging, economically vibrant and independent.
[Editor: PLEASE NOTE CORRECTION – On Sep 25, I received an email from Lisa Tucker of the Tim McGallian for Concord City Council Campaign. According to Tucker, “Concord Council Member Tim McGallian has not endorsed Robert Ring for city council. In fact, Mr. McGallian has endorsed his colleague, Council Member Laura Hoffmeister.” Other claims in the article remain, and are highly significant – please continue reading! – R.S.]
Concord Police and Theocratic Nationalists Endorse Same Council Candidate
IndyBay.org, Open-Publishing Newswire, by News You Can Use, September 23, 2022
Candidate Robert Ring is endorsed by the Concord Police Department for the District 1 council seat. Robert Ring also has the support of the American Council, a Christian Nationalist PAC which is supporting like-minded candidates in city council and school board races.
The Concord Police Officer’s Association have gone all in on Robert Ring. Concord’s fourth district has 3 candidates, and Robert Ring is their guy. During last month’s Contra Costa County TV forum for D1 candidates, He touted his double endorsement from the Police Association and the Contra Costa County Deputy District Attorney’s Association. Ring said “I am the candidate of law and order.” Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN-KtPXDnzs
As part of his platform, Robert Ring proposes raising the pay of the police department. Ring acknowledges that 57% of the Concord city budget goes to the police, but he is calling for an increase for pay and for equipment. Ring has not explained where the money for such an increase in police spending is going to come from.
Robert Ring received $1,500 from the police association. It’s an investment. Need to spend to money to make money.
Ring is the “law and order” candidate. What guides his sense of what that phrase means? Is he guided by the “Book of American Laws” (She-Hulk reference, I couldn’t resist) or could Ring be guided by some particular religious sense of “law and order”?
Robert Ring received a payment of one-thousand dollars from a Christian Nationalist PAC called the The American Council for Evangelicals (or just The American Council for short). The American Council is a California based PAC that is trying to place candidates in city councils and school boards. They have candidates who are sympathetic to their theocratic values. The American Council is mobilizing to seat candidates who believe American is a Christian nation, and should be governed by their ultra-Conservative interpretation of the Bible. Robert Ring is one of those theocratic nationalist candidates.
On the subject of LGBTQ+ rights, the American Council does not approve of homosexuality nor same-sex marriage. The PAC believes that liberal attitudes of supporting the the LGBTQ+ community are damaging. They believe American society has compromised too much to the LGBTQ+ community. They believe these compromises are separating America from God.
Their stated goal is “mobilizing people of faith to pursue revival and reformation in America.” (https://www.theamericancouncil.com) These are right-wing Evangelicals who want to Make American Great Again. Former Trump senior adviser Kayleigh McEnany is headlining the American Council Gala. This is a fundraiser to “fight for Biblical values in in legislation and the ballot box”. (Info here: https://americancouncil.ticketspice.com/the-american-council-gala) This is a theocratic fascist political movement, and Robert Ring is the candidate for “law and order” in Concord.
The general council for the American Council is Denise Grace Gitsham: a former White House aide for George W Bush, a public speaker at CPAC, and Trump supporter. Advising the American Council is Kelly Kullberg, who organized a far-right astroturfing network called the Kullberg Network. This was a 2020 pro-Trump campaign used to spread conspiracy theories, anti-Islamic sentiment and racial propaganda. This White Christian Nationalist effort also operated sock-puppet social media accounts for “Blacks for Trump”. (Snopes: http://www.snopes.com/news/2020/11/03/kullberg-network-reemerges) Robert Ring received $1000 dollars from this organization. Robert Ring is the “law and order” candidate. The Concord Police Officers association has fully endorsed him.
Who else has endorsed Robert Ring? Sitting councilperson for Concord’s first district Tim McGallian. [See correction above.] Ring also has the
Robert Ring for Concord City Council – I am grateful to have the endorsement of Assemblymember Tim Grayson….Thank you for support, Tim!
endorsement of Assembly-member (CA 14) Tim Grayson, a former city council member and an Evangelical preacher. Grayson was a Republican, who cleverly ran as a Democrat to get his seat on the state Assembly. Here’s a photo of Grayson and the “law and order” candidate: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=124613253684238
The Contra Costa Building and Construction Trades Council also endorse Ring. Ring is Pro-Seeno. The Seeno family of developers are in negotiation with the city of Concord to develop the Concord Naval Weapons Station. Ring’s two opponents are both against Seeno, as is the general public. The Seeno deal has become a huge scandal, with allegations of bribery and organized-crime tactics. Oh, the police association is also involved with this scandal, as they have openly supported Seeno. Why are the police involved in a construction and development matter? That’s a good question, which seems to involve some kind of quid pro quo. Ring’s the “law and order” candidate.
Christian Nationalists are supporting Robert Ring. The cops like him, too. The 2 Tims – McGallian [See correction above.] and Grayson – are all in on Ring. The endorsements and the checks are coming in…. Ring-A-Ding-DIng! Ka-ching!
Here is the contribution from the Concord Police Officers Association. They either didn’t do their research before choosing their candidate, or they did their research and they like what they see. After donating, they gave their official endorsement.
The Concord police do not have civilian oversight..
I heartily endorse Kari Birdseye for Benicia City Council.
I have seen her in action in various roles, including as chair of the Planning Commission and as a member of the Solano County Democratic Central Committee. I know she is a competent, intelligent, hard-working person.
Kari’s values are in the right place, and I have not one doubt that she will always put the health and safety of Benicia first. She will bring her concern about the environment, climate change, housing, and protecting the character of our city to the city council.
We are at a critical stage on many fronts, and local government can make such a difference. With the right people on the council, we can move forward on local issues that have a broader impact. I like to think globally, and act locally. Kari will do the same thing.
I trust Kari Birdseye to represent us and to provide a voice on city council that I know will always have the best interests of our city and humanity at heart.
Kari Birdseye for Benicia City Council https://karibirdseyeforbenicia.com/
Terry Scott for Benicia City Council https://www.terryscottforbenicia2022.org/
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