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Chula Vista’s John McCann makes moves toward Nora Vargas seat
Mayor’s El Grito event shows his money-raising clout
MediExcel Health Plan came up with $5000 on September 5 to sponsor the 2024 El Grito Mexican Independence Day Celebration on September 15, according to John McCann’s October 10 disclosure filing.
Trashy behests
As Chula Vista’s Republican mayor John McCann explores a run for the county supervisor’s seat being vacated by Democrat Nora Vargas, eyes are turning to his longstanding tactic of using cash behests from corporations to cultivate good will among key ethnic voter groups. The latest batch of entries on the long list of givers includes MediExcel Health Plan, which came up with $5000 on September 5 to sponsor the 2024 El Grito Mexican Independence Day Celebration on September 15, according to McCann’s October 10 disclosure filing. The mayor was joined at the popular gathering by Ambassador Alicia G. Kerber-Palma, Consul General of Mexico in San Diego. “From the moment the event started at 4 pm, Memorial Bowl was buzzing with excitement,” reported Chula Vista Living in a September 16 post. “Families set up canopies, vendors served up delicious food, and the Chula Vista Farmer’s Market stayed open late, making it easy for everyone to grab a bite and enjoy the celebration. As the main event drew closer, it became standing-room only, with so many attendees ready to experience the energy of El Grito.” Adds the account: “Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, who hosted the event, summed it up perfectly: ‘Our event will be a celebration of culture and independence.’ Ambassador Kerber-Palma noted, ‘It’s not just about one day; it’s about every Mexican being proud of their heritage.’”
John McCann: the best at behests?
In addition to MediExcel’s contribution, $2500 was given to the El Grito event at McCann’s behest by Awin Management Inc. of Scottsdale Arizona on September 4, per the October 10 disclosure. Awin also coughed up $3000 the same day to become a “Gold Sponsor” of McCann’s June 18 State of the City Address, according to the same document. Awin, an affiliate of Republic Services, Chula Vista’s trash pickup provider, earlier furnished $5000 to McCann’s mayoral inauguration fund on December 13, 2022 at the mayor’s behest. Another McCann behest came from Seven Mile Casino, which kicked in $3000 on August 29 for the El Grito event, a separate October 10 filing shows. Community Health Group of Chula Vista threw $5000 into the El Grito kitty at McCann’s behest on August 29, according to another October 10 filing. Two years ago, the organization fought back against its removal by the state as a Medi-Cal provider with a high-profile rally of its workers in downtown San Diego. “They cut us out — which makes absolutely no sense to us,” Community Health Group Chief Operating Officer Joseph Garcia told public TV Station KPBS. The story continued, “Garcia said the state is trying to streamline operations, going from seven Medi-Cal plans to just three. The group submitted a bid, but Garcia argues the state’s scoring system was flawed. He said Community Health Group has filed an appeal and is hoping the state will simply keep the MediCal plan.” (The group ultimately prevailed.)
Alicia G. Kerber-Palma: a grin for El Grito
But the biggest donor of all was RIDA Development of Houston, Texas, which on June 25 came up with $5000 for the December 14 Starlight Parade, says a July 26 filing. The day before, RIDA gave $5000 to become a sponsor of McCann’s June 18 State of the City Address and $5000 to McCann’s September El Grito event, per a July 24 filing. RIDA is a partner in Chula Vista’s Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center, nearing completion on the city’s Bayfront. “Gaylord Pacific is on time, on budget, and ready to open in May 2025,” gushed McCann in his July 2024 State of the City speech. “Once completed, it will have 1600 guest rooms and stand 22 stories high. This $1.3 billion project will create 2900 jobs and has already created 7000 construction jobs. With 500,000 room nights already booked, it is clear this will have a huge impact on our local economy.”
Powered off
Now that SDG&E’s City of San Diego power franchise is safe for the time being, the Sempra Energy subsidiary has quietly folded a political committee set up to counter a now-failed initiative drive intended to put the privately-owned utility into the hands of local government. On December 17, the committee, called Responsible Energy San Diego, filed notice that it had closed up shop November 14, according to a termination filing with the San Diego City Clerk’s office. A separate filing shows that the committee, which got a hefty total of $912,332.67 from SDG&E during 2024, spent $686.55 on a tab at Bull’s Restaurant and much more on a range of consultants, including $14,500 for San Diego’s Matter Strategies, run by ex-Kevin Faulconer aide Matt Awbrey, and $10,000 paid to Salt Public Affairs of Portland, Maine, which boasts on its website that it is “not afraid of” reporters. “In 2021 we launched a campaign to stop a statewide referendum stemming from a citizen petition signed by 80,000 voters,” says the site in reference to a proposed measure in Maine called Pine Tree Power that bore similarities to the anti-SDG&E San Diego effort. “Initial polling showed only 37% of voters were with us, but by the time Election Day rolled around, we won with just over 70% of the vote. The team of nearly 100 staff, partners and vendors built a broad based, non-ideological and diverse coalition of voters, businesses and organizations that led to a decisive win.”
Published reports say the Maine utility lobby heavily outspent the pro-public power advocates, similar to the San Diego battle. “The most affluent committee, Maine Affordable Energy, is paying a trio of former state legislators to advocate against the proposed power alternative, according to public records and interviews,” reported the Portland Press Herald in a June 18, 2023 post.”The committee also paid $5 million to a Democratic media and political strategy firm called Left Hook, which works with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and is staffed with Obama campaign alumni. Willy Ritch, the Portland consultant heading up the anti-takeover campaign, said he would not characterize the payments as a public relations campaign, but instead as part of a ‘coalition that is opposing a statewide referendum proposal.’”
— Matt Potter
The Reader offers $25 for news tips published in this column. Call our voice mail at 619-235-3000, ext. 440, or sandiegoreader.com/staff/matt-potter/contact/.
Here's something you might be interested in.
Chula Vista’s John McCann makes moves toward Nora Vargas seat
Mayor’s El Grito event shows his money-raising clout
Chula Vista’s John McCann makes moves toward Nora Vargas seat
Mayor’s El Grito event shows his money-raising clout
MediExcel Health Plan came up with $5000 on September 5 to sponsor the 2024 El Grito Mexican Independence Day Celebration on September 15, according to John McCann’s October 10 disclosure filing.
Trashy behests
As Chula Vista’s Republican mayor John McCann explores a run for the county supervisor’s seat being vacated by Democrat Nora Vargas, eyes are turning to his longstanding tactic of using cash behests from corporations to cultivate good will among key ethnic voter groups. The latest batch of entries on the long list of givers includes MediExcel Health Plan, which came up with $5000 on September 5 to sponsor the 2024 El Grito Mexican Independence Day Celebration on September 15, according to McCann’s October 10 disclosure filing. The mayor was joined at the popular gathering by Ambassador Alicia G. Kerber-Palma, Consul General of Mexico in San Diego. “From the moment the event started at 4 pm, Memorial Bowl was buzzing with excitement,” reported Chula Vista Living in a September 16 post. “Families set up canopies, vendors served up delicious food, and the Chula Vista Farmer’s Market stayed open late, making it easy for everyone to grab a bite and enjoy the celebration. As the main event drew closer, it became standing-room only, with so many attendees ready to experience the energy of El Grito.” Adds the account: “Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, who hosted the event, summed it up perfectly: ‘Our event will be a celebration of culture and independence.’ Ambassador Kerber-Palma noted, ‘It’s not just about one day; it’s about every Mexican being proud of their heritage.’”
John McCann: the best at behests?
In addition to MediExcel’s contribution, $2500 was given to the El Grito event at McCann’s behest by Awin Management Inc. of Scottsdale Arizona on September 4, per the October 10 disclosure. Awin also coughed up $3000 the same day to become a “Gold Sponsor” of McCann’s June 18 State of the City Address, according to the same document. Awin, an affiliate of Republic Services, Chula Vista’s trash pickup provider, earlier furnished $5000 to McCann’s mayoral inauguration fund on December 13, 2022 at the mayor’s behest. Another McCann behest came from Seven Mile Casino, which kicked in $3000 on August 29 for the El Grito event, a separate October 10 filing shows. Community Health Group of Chula Vista threw $5000 into the El Grito kitty at McCann’s behest on August 29, according to another October 10 filing. Two years ago, the organization fought back against its removal by the state as a Medi-Cal provider with a high-profile rally of its workers in downtown San Diego. “They cut us out — which makes absolutely no sense to us,” Community Health Group Chief Operating Officer Joseph Garcia told public TV Station KPBS. The story continued, “Garcia said the state is trying to streamline operations, going from seven Medi-Cal plans to just three. The group submitted a bid, but Garcia argues the state’s scoring system was flawed. He said Community Health Group has filed an appeal and is hoping the state will simply keep the MediCal plan.” (The group ultimately prevailed.)
Alicia G. Kerber-Palma: a grin for El Grito
But the biggest donor of all was RIDA Development of Houston, Texas, which on June 25 came up with $5000 for the December 14 Starlight Parade, says a July 26 filing. The day before, RIDA gave $5000 to become a sponsor of McCann’s June 18 State of the City Address and $5000 to McCann’s September El Grito event, per a July 24 filing. RIDA is a partner in Chula Vista’s Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center, nearing completion on the city’s Bayfront. “Gaylord Pacific is on time, on budget, and ready to open in May 2025,” gushed McCann in his July 2024 State of the City speech. “Once completed, it will have 1600 guest rooms and stand 22 stories high. This $1.3 billion project will create 2900 jobs and has already created 7000 construction jobs. With 500,000 room nights already booked, it is clear this will have a huge impact on our local economy.”
Powered off
Now that SDG&E’s City of San Diego power franchise is safe for the time being, the Sempra Energy subsidiary has quietly folded a political committee set up to counter a now-failed initiative drive intended to put the privately-owned utility into the hands of local government. On December 17, the committee, called Responsible Energy San Diego, filed notice that it had closed up shop November 14, according to a termination filing with the San Diego City Clerk’s office. A separate filing shows that the committee, which got a hefty total of $912,332.67 from SDG&E during 2024, spent $686.55 on a tab at Bull’s Restaurant and much more on a range of consultants, including $14,500 for San Diego’s Matter Strategies, run by ex-Kevin Faulconer aide Matt Awbrey, and $10,000 paid to Salt Public Affairs of Portland, Maine, which boasts on its website that it is “not afraid of” reporters. “In 2021 we launched a campaign to stop a statewide referendum stemming from a citizen petition signed by 80,000 voters,” says the site in reference to a proposed measure in Maine called Pine Tree Power that bore similarities to the anti-SDG&E San Diego effort. “Initial polling showed only 37% of voters were with us, but by the time Election Day rolled around, we won with just over 70% of the vote. The team of nearly 100 staff, partners and vendors built a broad based, non-ideological and diverse coalition of voters, businesses and organizations that led to a decisive win.”
Published reports say the Maine utility lobby heavily outspent the pro-public power advocates, similar to the San Diego battle. “The most affluent committee, Maine Affordable Energy, is paying a trio of former state legislators to advocate against the proposed power alternative, according to public records and interviews,” reported the Portland Press Herald in a June 18, 2023 post.”The committee also paid $5 million to a Democratic media and political strategy firm called Left Hook, which works with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and is staffed with Obama campaign alumni. Willy Ritch, the Portland consultant heading up the anti-takeover campaign, said he would not characterize the payments as a public relations campaign, but instead as part of a ‘coalition that is opposing a statewide referendum proposal.’”
— Matt Potter
The Reader offers $25 for news tips published in this column. Call our voice mail at 619-235-3000, ext. 440, or sandiegoreader.com/staff/matt-potter/contact/.
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