Where Pasadena Mayoral Candidates Are Getting Their Money

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Pasadena City Hall Dome (Photo – Design Dept. ⒸColoradoBlvd.net)

There are four candidates for Pasadena Mayor on the March 3, 2020 ballot. In addition to incumbent Terry Tornek, they are Major Williams, Jason Hardin, and Councilman Victor Gordo.

By Sean McMorris

Pasadena posts all city candidates’ campaign finance reports (including city councilmembers) online for easy public access. Here is a breakdown of the bulk of where each Pasadena Mayoral candidate is receiving the bulk of their campaign funds.

Note: A Form 460 is a summary report that is filed quarterly as well as several times before an election. A Form 497 is a 24 hours report that must be filed immediately for donations of $1,000 or more.

– Mayor Terry Tornek

Mayor Tornek began heavily fundraising in December 2019. From July 2019 to February 15, 2020, Mayor Tornek has raised $135,393 for his reelection campaign. Of that money, Mayor Tornek has raised $1,395 in small contributions (donations less than $100). Notable donations include:

• The Mayor has loaned his campaign $25,000. (personal funds).
• John Cushman, Pasadena, CA: $5,000. (retired lawyer and commercial real estate investor).
• Shaun Stiles, Hermosa Beach, CA: $1,000. (executive director for Cushman and Wakefield — John Cushman’s law firm).
• Steven Marcussen, Pasadena, CA: $1,000 (executive director for Cushman and Wakefield — John Cushman’s law firm).
• ACT – Political: $2,000 (a local PAC).
• Lois Madison, L.A.: $9,995 (listed as retired. No other information could be found).
• Chris Madison, L.A.: $9,990 (listed as retired. No other information could be found).
• Donald Hall, Pasadena, CA: $2,000 (investor at Arcturus Capital, a venture capital firm).
• AVS Properties, LLC: $1,000. (a property investments company).
• Huff Strategies, LLC: $1,000. (government/public relations & consulting [lobbyist?]).

Note: Mayor Tornek’s reports were written in barely legible penmanship, making it very difficult to ascertain the source of all of his funds. For this reason, the Mayor should consider typing his reports for transparency’s sake. Additionally, Mayor Tornek listed one of John Cushman’s donations as J.C. Cushman. The Political Reform Act requires that Form 460s list a person’s full legal name. This is meant to provide transparency.

– Victor Gordo

Councilman Gordo’s campaign is heavily funded by labor union PAC money. He also has received a substantial amount of money from lawyers. From January 2019 to February 15, 2020, Councilman Gordo has received $233,551 for his mayoral campaign. Of that money, $1,263 in contributions under $100. Notable donations include:

• Northern California District Council of Laborers PAC: $20,000. (a labor union).
• Laborers Pacific Southwest PAC: $10,000. (a labor union).
• Laborers Local 300 Small Contributor Committee: $10,000. (a labor union).
• Pasadena Firefighters L0 809 PAC: $15,000 (a local union).
• LIUNA 777 PAC: $5,000 (a labor union).
• LIUNA 89 PAC: $5,000 (a San Diego labor union).
• DRIVE Committee (Teamsters), Washington, DC: $5,000. (federal labor union).
• Laborers International Union Local 1309 PAC: $5,000 (a labor union).
• CFEBG PAC: $1,250. (no committee ID was provided).
• A./Orange Counties Building & Construction Trades Council PAC: $1,000 (a builders trade union).
• Michael Harahan, Flintridge, CA: $10,000 (retired lawyer).
• Hunt Ortman Palffy Nieves Darling & Mah, Inc: $2,000. (Construction litigation law firm).
• Douglas Kranwinkle Pasadena, CA: $6,000. (Kranwinkle worked for Univision and recently replaced Councilman Gordo as President of the Rose Bowl Operating Company).
• Former Pasadena Mayor, William Bogaard: $4,000.
• Munger family: $4,500. (multiple direct family members of Charlie Munger — billionaire partner to Warren Buffet).
• Eric Foker, Pasadena, CA: $5,000. (it appears that this is Eric Folker of Mesabi Capital, LLC on Lake Ave. in Pasadena, which is listed as a capital investment and consulting company. Eric also appears to be a lawyer).
• George Penner, Pasadena, CA: $1,000. (Penner is associated with Deasy Penner Podley, a “real estate firm with a concentration on selling architectural, historic and luxury estate properties.”)
• Andrew Apodaca, Pasadena, CA: $1,000. (Apodaca is the CEO for Westport Construction Inc., a construction company that specializes in affordable housing).
• Darryl Lucien, Sacramento, CA: $1,500 (listed as consultant/lobbyist for Lucien Partners).

– Jason Hardin

Mr. Hardin has not raised or spent enough money to have to file a campaign finance report (a candidate who raises or spends $2,000 must begin filing Form 460s).

– Major Williams

As of February 15, 2020, Major Williams has reported $36,153 raised. Of that money, Mr. Williams has raised $4,225 in small donations under $100. The vast majority of Mr. Williams’ campaign contributions are less than $500 and they come from a variety of people (business owners, retirees, physicians, consultants, etc.). Notable donations include:

• Dianna Remmers, Portland, OR: $10,200 — aggregated. (Public records suggest that Dianna Remmers is the owner of Blue Dog Homes, LLC, a real estate management company).
• J Mac Young, Sacramento, CA: $1,000. (Major Williams listed this person as the partner for 503 Capital Partners, LLC, a real estate property management business. It appears that J Mac Young’s actual name is John McPherson Young. Note: The Political Reform Act requires that a donor’s full legal name be listed).

> More campaign finance reports are likely to be filed before the March 3, 2020 elections. You can view updates for any candidates on the City’s website here.