Molly Munger, who has spent nearly $36 million on tax initiative Proposition 38, says she believes her brother is not financing the campaign against a rival tax increase measure, Gov. Jerry Brown's Proposition 30.
Charles Munger Jr. has contributed $22 million to the Small Business Action Committee PAC, designed both to oppose Brown's tax measure and to support Proposition 32, a campaign finance measure aimed at curbing union power.
Her brother, she said, "has assured me his money is going to 32 and not 30. I don't know where they're getting their money. … The first time he put money into that PAC, I called him and said, 'What are you doing?' And he said, 'I'm doing what I always said I was doing, I'm backing 32. …' He said, 'It's all for 32, that's my deal with that PAC.' "
But the math suggests that Charles Munger Jr.'s money has to be flowing to No on 30. SBAC has spent $5.9 million so far on No on 30 ads – yet the PAC has collected only $2.2 million from contributors not named Charles Munger Jr.
Beth Miller, SBAC spokeswoman, said the committee "does not accept contributions earmarked for any specific measure. … All donors understand that it is up to the discretion of SBAC PAC regarding how any funds are spent."
– Kevin Yamamura
CAPITOL WATCH
The soon-to-retire president of the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California is stepping down from the California High-Speed Rail Authority's board. Robert Balgenorth announced his resignation in a letter addressed Thursday to board Chairman Dan Richard and to Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, who appointed him to the board.
– Bee Capitol Bureau
WORTH REPEATING
"I find watching politicians on TV boring for the most part. I don't watch very often. But sometimes I watch with curiosity – kind of like an anthropologist who's seeing what the hell is going on."
GOV. JERRY BROWN, talking recently to Esquire magazine
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