Thorpe’s anti-recall committee raises most of $80,000 from outside Antioch mainly from special interests
Stop the #KAREN Recall for Mayor Lamar Thorpe 2022 committee 460 Summary. Source: Antioch City Clerk
Submits campaign finance report on May 2 but not provided to public by City Clerk Householder until this week
By Allen D. Payton
Following three anonymous complaints to the state Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) against him for his Stop the #KAREN Recall for Mayor Lamar Thorpe 2022 campaign committee finances, and three letters sent to him by the FPPC on April 26 demanding a response within 14 days, Thorpe submitted a Form 460 report on May 2. It shows the contributions received and expenditures made by his campaign committee between Dec. 13, 2021, and March 31, 2022. (See related article)
But the report wasn’t posted on the city’s website by City Clerk Ellie Householder until this week. The deadline for submitting signatures for the recall was Wednesday. However, the leaders of the effort announced the company hired to gather signatures stole their funds and didn’t turn over the estimated 11,000 signatures, more than the 9,511 required to force Thorpe to the ballot. (See related article)
Thorpe’s 460 report also shows the $2,500 contribution reported by the IBEW 302 PAC as made on Dec. 20 was not received by his committee until Jan. 14, twenty-five days later. Had that been received by Thorpe’s committee before Dec. 31, 2021, it would have required him to submit a Form 460 by Jan. 31, 2022, revealing all the contributions of $100 or more that were received by the end of last year. (See related article)
84% of Contributions from Outside Antioch
The 460 report shows Thorpe lists all contributions regardless of amount, totaling $81,482.96 of which $1,045.75 was from himself in the form of in-kind contributions, for printing and other items he paid for out of his personal funds. Of the $80,437.21 in monetary contributions 84% or $67,909 originated outside of Antioch. The largest amounts came from special interests including $23,500 from developers, $15,000 from cannabis businesses, $7,600 from union PACS and an organizer, $5,513.38 from garbage company interests, plus $1,800 from politicians including $250 from Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton.
One contribution listed on the report from SR Ventures, LLC provides no address or description. But a search on the City’s website shows it’s a cannabis business proposed to be located at 300 G Street in downtown Antioch and is affiliated with Brentwood-based Sean McCauley Investments, Inc.
16% of Contributions from Within Antioch
Only 16% or $12,528.21 originated from within Antioch, even though Thorpe wrote, “Thank you, Antioch for raising over $80,000 in two weeks” in a Jan. 15 post on his official Facebook page. Of that amount, most of it came from just a few individuals, including $5,000 from Dustin Hoke of Delta Dispensary, an Antioch cannabis business; $2,499 from America De Leon who is listed as retired; $2,000 from business owner Devlin (misspelled Delvin on the report) Braswell; $500 from Antioch Parks and Recreation Commission Chair Marie Arce and her husband Joseph, and another $500 from Ronald Muhammad who is listed as self-employed. Councilwomen Monica Wilson and Tamisha Torres-Walker contributed $250 and $100 respectively, but Torres-Walker’s contribution originated from the address of a home in Pinole. But that amount was included in the Antioch total, since she lives in Antioch. Only $1,679.21 was contributed by other Antioch residents.
70% of Contributions from Special Interests
A total of $56,615.38 in contributions to Thorpe’s campaign committee was from special interests from within and outside of Antioch including $20,000 total from cannabis businesses.
The report also shows a total of only $4,374.36 in expenditures leaving a balance of $77,108.60 at the end of March.
Questions for Householder, Deputy City Clerk
The following questions and information were emailed to Householder and Deputy City Clerk Christian Garcia on Wednesday, May 11.
“Has Lamar submitted his Amended 410 form, yet? Lamar’s Form 460 filed on May 2 for 1/1/22 thru 3/31/22 is now on the city clerk’s website. What day was that uploaded, please? Was that done, today? Because it wasn’t there last Friday.”
Questions for Thorpe
The following questions were sent to Thorpe on Thursday morning, May 12.
“Why haven’t you submitted an Amended 410 form showing your committee was qualified, yet since your committee received at least $2,000 as of Jan. 10 according to your Form 460 report?
On a related matter, why did you report the $2,500 contribution from IBEW 302 PAC as being received on Jan. 14 when they reported it was made on Dec. 20? Did you ask them to hold it until your fundraiser so you didn’t have to file your 460 by Jan. 31?
Now that the recall has failed, will you be returning the remaining $77,108.60 to contributors since the funds weren’t spent? If not, what do you plan to do with it, use it for a campaign for State Senate in a possible special election, next year if Steve Glazer wins for State Controller in November?”
No responses were received from Householder, Garcia or Thorpe by Friday morning, May 13.
Please check back later for any updates to this report.
the attachments to this post:
Stop the #KAREN Recall for Mayor Lamar Thorpe 2022 committee 460 Summary
