By Roger Straw, August 14, 2019
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Tim Grayson is Benicia’s Representative in the California State Assembly. First elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2018, he has begun campaigning for a final term in 2020. The primary election is set for March 3, and Tim is well on his way to a huge advantage, having raised over $285,000 in the first half of 2019.
An August 14 report in the Vallejo Times-Herald detailed Grayson’s 2019 campaign contributors , including that he “received donations from several petroleum and energy resources businesses, including Valero Services, Inc. ($2,000)….”
Valero wasn’t alone. The following Big Oil & Energy companies were generous to Tim this year:
OIL OR GAS COMPANY | AMOUNT |
Chevron Corporation and its Subsidiaries/Affiliates | $4,700 |
Valero Services, Inc. | $2,000 |
Tesoro Companies, Inc. | $1,000 |
Signal Hill Petroleum, Inc. | $1,000 |
Seneca Resources Company, LLC | $1,000 |
Phillips 66 Company, LLC | $1,000 |
PBF Holding Company, LLC | $1,500 |
Macpherson Oil Company | $1,500 |
E & B Natural Resources Management Corporation | $2,000 |
California Independent Petroleum Association PAC (Note: Vallejo Times-Herald reported only $2,500, but there were 2 additional non-monetary donations, totaling $4,650) |
($4,650) |
TOTAL FROM OIL & ENERGY | $20,350 |
I created a downloadable excel spreadsheet listing of all of Grayson’s 2019 contributions (source: California Secretary of State).
![](https://i0.wp.com/beniciaindependent.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/sen.-bill-dodd-CA-3rd-district-900x1148.jpg?resize=125%2C159&ssl=1)
It is interesting to compare Grayson’s war chest with that of Benicia’s State Senator, Bill Dodd. According to the California Secretary of State, Dodd has taken ZERO DOLLARS from the oil & energy industry in 2019. Here’s Dodd’s downloadable excel spreadsheet.
Both of Benicia’s representatives have already taken in huge amounts for their re-election in 2020: Grayson over $285,000 and Dodd over $330,000. Both have received contributions from a wide variety of corporate and organizational interest groups, including many political action committees (PACs).
It is a fair question to ask, how will our representatives in Sacramento thank their big donors?
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