SF Ethics Commission

Campaign Consultant Filing, Fourth Quarter 2008

FOURTH QUARTER 2008 SUMMARY OF EARNINGS AND ACTIVITY OF CAMPAIGN CONSULTANTS REGISTERED WITH THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO

September 1, 2008 through November 30, 2008

Susan Harriman, Chairperson
John St. Croix, Executive Director

Report prepared by:
Catherine Argumedo Date Issued: February 26, 2009

CAMPAIGN CONSULTANT FILING
FOURTH QUARTER 2008

I. Introduction

In November 1997, San Francisco voters approved the Regulation of Campaign Consultants Ordinance (“Ordinance”), San Francisco Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code Sections 1.500-1.540. The Ordinance requires persons who earn $1,000 or more per year for campaign consultant services to register with the Ethics Commission and file quarterly activity reports.

The fourth quarter activity reports were due on December 19, 2008 and covered the filing period beginning September 1, 2008 through November 30, 2008.

II. Comparative Data

The level of campaign consultant activity has fluctuated since the first filing in June 1998 (the second quarter of 1998). The chart on the next page compares data compiled pertaining to campaign consultant activity since implementation of the Ordinance. As indicated, the level of campaign consultant activity generally increases or decreases depending on 1) whether an election is held and 2) the number and type of local items on the ballot.

Quarter	Number of Consultants	Total Payments Promised	Total Payments Received	Total Contributions Made
Second Quarter 1998	24	$1,560,742	$1,432,631	$4,100
Third Quarter 1998	25	$341,745	$379,859	$3,405
Fourth Quarter 1998	30	$638,498	$784,507	$1,975
First Quarter 1999	22	$71,969	$142,355	$550
Second Quarter 1999	28	$201,983	$485,071	$1,500
Third Quarter 1999	34	$395,440	$1,168,597	$4,150
Fourth Quarter 1999	38	$1,343,362	$2,489,276	$3,800
First Quarter 2000	17	$904,891	$1,293,901	$2,750
Second Quarter 2000	17	$169,599	$186,663	$1,275
Third Quarter 2000	20	$293,110	$467,379	$18,900
Fourth Quarter 2000	25	$2,437,695	$2,332,401	$26,348
First Quarter 2001	17	$216,952	$236,785	$800
Second Quarter 2001	15	$6,500	$6,500	$100
Third Quarter 2001	18	$137,751	$58,560	$5,550
Fourth Quarter 2001	23	$640,589	$690,272	$12,825
First Quarter 2002	22	$242,752	$259,357	$1,100
Second Quarter 2002	23	$121,413	$311,663	$2,100
Third Quarter 2002	40	$320, 373	$345,325	$2,200
Fourth Quarter 2002	50	$3,002,128	$3,243,997	$8,003
First Quarter 2003	42	$368,102	$331,328	$3,850
Second Quarter 2003	51	$486,555	$530,434	$3,250
Third Quarter 2003	64	$618,346	$749,332	$2,805
Fourth Quarter 2003	64	$1,112,506	$1,367,183	$10,125
First Quarter 2004	36	$352,837	$243,578	$1,600
Second Quarter 2004	29	$180,947	$136,950	$1,650
Third Quarter 2004	45	$461,739	$405,991	$11,050
Fourth Quarter 2004	55	$620,070	$943,214	$4,786
First Quarter 2005	17	$78,578	$29,762	$1,750
Second Quarter 2005	17	$87,399	$93,085	$250
Third Quarter 2005	20	$160,430	$102,377	$950
Fourth Quarter 2005	23	$256,254	$283,731	$1,150
First Quarter 2006	9	$68,911	$72,654	$1,900
Second Quarter 2006	13	$400,328	$385,303	$1,000
Third Quarter 2006	18	$279,270	$310,077	$4,200
Fourth Quarter 2006	21	$842,765	$617,275	$12,700
First Quarter 2007	14	$115,761	$135,720	$1,200
Second Quarter 2007	16	$227,514	$163,333	N/A*
Third Quarter 2007	19	$479,895	$414,496	$69,137
Fourth Quarter 2007	19	$1,262,553	$1,324,139	$35,875
First Quarter 2008	21	$622,255	$830,920	$92,950
Second Quarter 2008	27	$718,486	$1,011,559	$3,750
Third Quarter 2008	40	$862,640	$811,954	$4,843
Fourth Quarter 2008	41	$1,985,420	$3,978,592	$4,830

III. The Campaign Consultant Ordinance

The Ordinance defines “campaign consultant” as a person or entity that receives or is promised $1,000 or more in a calendar year for providing either of the following services:

“Campaign Management,” defined as conducting, coordinating or supervising a campaign to elect, defeat, retain or recall a local candidate, or to adopt or defeat a local ballot measure, including but not limited to:

Hiring or authorizing the hiring of campaign staff and consultants; or
Spending or authorizing the expenditure of campaign funds; or
Directing, supervising or conducting the solicitation of campaign contributions; or
Selecting or recommending vendors or subvendors of goods or services for the campaign.

“Campaign Strategy,” defined as planning for the election, defeat, retention or recall of a local candidate, or for the adoption or defeat of a local ballot measure, including not but limited to:

Producing or authorizing the production of campaign literature and print and broadcast advertising; or
Seeking endorsements of organizations or individuals; or
Seeking financing; or
Advising on public policy positions.

Employees of campaign consultants do not themselves qualify as campaign consultants. However, persons and entities that subcontract with a campaign consultant to provide campaign consulting services and that receive or are promised $1,000 or more in a calendar year do qualify as campaign consultants. Similarly, employees of campaigns who engage in campaign management or campaign strategy and are promised or receive $1,000 or more in a calendar year also qualify as campaign consultants.

Campaign consultants are required to report only activity associated with local candidates or local ballot measures. For purposes of the Ordinance, “candidate” means: (1) a person who has taken affirmative action to seek nomination or election to local office, or (2) a local officeholder who has taken affirmative action to seek nomination or election to any elective office, or (3) a local officeholder who is the subject of a recall election.

“Local officeholder” means the following elected officers: Mayor, Members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, City Attorney, District Attorney, Treasurer, Sheriff, Assessor, Public Defender, Members of the Board of Education of the San Francisco Unified School District, and Members of the Governing Board of the San Francisco Community College District.

“Measure” means a local referendum, or a local ballot measure, whether or not it qualifies for the ballot.

The Commission staff has compiled the information filed by campaign consultants for the fourth quarter of 2008 in the attached tables. All amounts reported by campaign consultants have been rounded to the nearest whole dollar.

IV. Description of Quarterly Report Tables

Table 1: Total Reported Activity September 1, 2008 – November 30, 2008

Table 1 summarizes all reported activity by campaign consultants for the fourth quarter of 2008. Filers are listed in alphabetical order. Also reported are the total payments promised by clients and any political contributions or gifts to officeholders made by the filers.

Consultant	Payments Promised By Clients	Payments Received From Clients	Political Contributions
Barry Arata, Paige	$26,551	$26,551	$0
Bjornson, Stephanie	$0	$24,466	$0
Bowman, Christopher L.	$0	$0	$0
Brown, Andrew	$4,000	$4,000	$0
Clemons, Nick	$47,185	$47,185	$150
Chu, Wayee	$0	$4,294	$50
Davis, Julian	$5,250	$5,250	$0
Dunnigan, Dan	$0	$16,000	$0
Erwin & Muir Public Affairs	$31,500	$27,710	$780
Golinger, Jonathan	$17,500	$17,500	$0
Graham, Summer	$25,000	$25,000	$0
Harcos, Aimee	$5,887	$5,887	$0
Haynes, Linnette Peralta	$4,000	$4,000	$0
Hope Road Consulting, LLC	$19,371	$61,978	$0
Hsieh & Associates	$15,000	$152,814	$0
Hsieh, Francisco	$6,000	$6,000	$0
Hukari, Harvey Harlowe	$2,000	$1,000	$0
Imprenta Communications Group	$0	$984,910	$950
Lee, Christopher	$0	$32,857	$0
The Roger Lee Group, LLC	$4,000	$0	$0
Left Coast Communications	$163,500	$141,299	$0
Lynch, Thom	$0	$24,000	$0
Lyons, Nichelle	$32,101	$32,101	$0
MSHC Partners, Inc.	$117,679	$115,933	$0
Mehta, Sonya	$8,000	$8,000	$400
Moscone Public Affairs, Inc.	$0	$15,000	$800
Claudia Ross	$0	$15,000	$500
Jim Ross Political Consulting	$179,708	$179,708	$0
Rock Paper Scissors Consulting	$1,000	$1,000	$0
Roumeliotes, Stefanie (SGR Consulting)	$36,050	$36,050	$0
Solem & Associates	$29,277	$31,734	$250
The Garry South Group	$43,258	$62,507	$0
Staton Hughes	$0	$0	$450
Stearns Consulting, Inc.	$0	$506,873	$0
Storefront Political Media	$1,067,786	$1,083,633	$0
Talmus, Laura	$0	$0	$0
Terris Barnes & Walters	$65,773	$65,773	$0
Vaughan, Susan E.	$8,045	$8,045	$0
Whitehurst Campaigns, Inc.	$20,000	$114,812	$500
Wong, Danny	$0	$16,500	$0
Zago, Giuseppe	$0	$73,222	$0
TOTAL (Q4 2008)	$1,985,420	$3,978,592	$4,830

Table 2: Client Payment Report

Filers are required to report “economic consideration” promised by or received from clients in exchange for campaign consulting services during the applicable reporting period. Economic consideration includes payments, fees, commissions, and reimbursements for expenses, gifts or anything else of value. Table 2 lists the name of the filer in alphabetical order, the filer’s clients, the services performed for that client, the payment promised by the client in the reporting period, and the payment actually received. The table also indicates the total payments promised or received by all filers. The payments promised by all clients to filers during the fourth quarter totaled $1,998,920. The payments received by all filers from clients during the fourth quarter totaled $3,992,092.

TABLE 2
CAMPAIGN CONSULTANT	CLIENT(S)	SERVICES PERFORMED	TOTAL PAYMENTS PROMISED	TOTAL PAYMENTS RECEIVED
Barry Arata, Paige	Newsom for California Exploratory Committee	Fundraising	$26,551	$26,551
Bjornson, Stephanie	Committee to Stop the Blank Check, No on H	Campaign consulting	$0	$24,466
Bowman, Christopher L.	No activity for reporting period		$0	$0
Brown, Andrew	Hsieh & Associates	Administrative work	$4,000	$4,000
Chu, Wayee	Kimberly Wicoff	Event management, including fundraisers and informational sessions	$0	$4,294
Clemons, Nick	Newsom for California Exploratory Committee	Campaign management	$47,185	$47,185
Davis, Julian	SF Clean Energy - Yes on H	General Consulting	$5,250	$5,250
Dunnigan, Dan	Committee to Stop the Blank Check, No on H	Campaign consulting	$0	$16,000
Erwin & Muir Public Affairs	Sean Elsbernd	Mail; communications	$22,000	$26,210
Erwin & Muir Public Affairs	Lynn Jefferson	Mail; communications; field strategy	$8,000	$0
Erwin & Muir Public Affairs	Rachel Norton	Mail; communications	$1,500	$1,500
Golinger, Jonathan	David Chiu	Campaign organizing	$17,500	$17,500
Graham, Summer	Ahsha Safai for Supervisor	Campaign consulting, candidate scheduling, volunteer & office management, media relations	$25,000	$25,000
Harcos, Aimee	Elect Tony Gantner District 3 Supervisor	Campaign consultant/manager	$5,887	$5,887
Haynes, Linnette Peralta	David Campos	Campaign management	$4,000	$4,000
Hope Road Consulting, LLC	Steve Ngo	Campaign consulting; direct mail production	$7,436	$24,990
Hope Road Consulting, LLC	Norman Yee	Campaign consulting; direct mail production	$3,717	$20,179
Hope Road Consulting, LLC	Dr. Natalie Berg	Campaign consulting; direct mail production	$3,395	$16,809
Hope Road Consulting, LLC	Hydra Mendoza	Campaign consulting services	$4,823	$0
Hsieh & Associates	Ahsha Safai for Supervisor	Campaign management; media purchases	$15,000	$115,595
Hsieh & Associates	Community Justice Court - Yes on L	Campaign management; media purchases	$0	$30,789
Hsieh & Associates	Save 911 - No New Taxes	Direct mail development	$0	$6,430
Hsieh, Francisco	Fiona Ma	Fundraising and outreach	$6,000	$6,000
Hukari, Harvey Harlowe	DeNunzio for Supervisor	Campaign consulting	$2,000	$1,000
Imprenta Communications Group	Committee to Stop the Blank Check, No on H	Campaign consulting	$0	$984,910
LaPointe, Denise	No activity for reporting period
Lee, Christopher	Committee to Stop the Blank Check, No on H	Campaign consulting	$0	$32,857
The Roger Lee Group, LLC	Ramos for Supervisor Committee	Developed campaign plan; prepared direct mail strategy	$4,000	$0
Left Coast Communications	Sandra Fewer for School Board	Design, production, printing of campaign literature	$21,691	$21,691
Left Coast Communications	Mark Sanchez '08	Design, production, printing of campaign literature; photography	$43,566	$25,971
Left Coast Communications	Milton Marks '08	Design, production, printing of campaign literature; photography	$33,135	$30,529
Left Coast Communications	San Francisco Housing Fund	Design, production, printing of campaign literature; photography	$23,550	$23,550
Left Coast Communications	Barbara Lopez for School Board	Photography; design of logo and window signs	$2,500	$500
Left Coast Communications	Coleman Action Fund	Design, production, printing of campaign literature; photography; design/production of website	$16,016	$16,016
Left Coast Communications	SF Clean Energy - Yes on H	Design, production, printing of campaign literature; photography	$17,631	$17,631
Left Coast Communications	Close the Loopholes, Yes on N/Yes on Q	Design, production, printing of campaign literature	$5,411	$5,411
Lynch, Thom	Committee to Stop the Blank Check, No on H	Campaign consulting	$0	$24,000
Lyons, Nichelle	Carmen Chu	Fundraising	$11,602	$11,602
Lyons, Nichelle	Sean Elsbernd	Fundraising	$2,709	$2,709
Lyons, Nichelle	Committee to Restore Our Waterfront, Yes on D	Fundraising	$17,790	$17,790
MSHC Partners, Inc.	Committee on Jobs	Online ad campaign	$0	$0
MSHC Partners, Inc.	Committee to Re-Elect Michela Alioto-Pier	Online ad campaign	$0	$0
MSHC Partners, Inc.	Citizens to Protect MUNI Services, No on K	Direct mail campaign	$4,246	$2,500
MSHC Partners, Inc.	No on Proposition "A" Committee	Direct mail campaign	$0	$0
MSHC Partners, Inc.	They Are At It Again Committee, No on B	Direct mail campaign	$113,433	$113,433
MSHC Partners, Inc.	Follow the Money	Direct mail campaign	$0	$0
Mehta, Sonya	Eric Mar	Campaign management; volunteer & field coordination	$8,000	$8,000
Moscone Public Affairs, Inc.	Committee to Stop the Blank Check, No on H	Campaign Consulting	$0	$15,000
Rock Paper Scissors Consulting	Sandoval for Judge	Collected data from voter file for campaign mail piece	$1,000	$1,000
Claudia Ross	Committee to Stop the Blank Check, No on H	Campaign consulting	$0	$15,000
Jim Ross Political Consulting	Sue Lee for Supervisor	General campaign services & strategy; printing and mailing services	$83,152	$83,152
Jim Ross Political Consulting	Carmen Chu for Supervisor	Campaign consulting & strategy	$66,556	$66,556
Jim Ross Political Consulting	Committee to Stop the Blank Check, No on H	Political strategy & consulting	$30,000	$30,000
Roumeliotes, Stefanie (SGR Consulting)	Joe Alioto Jr. for Supervisor	Fundraising, development, & strategy for campaign	$21,500	$21,500
Roumeliotes, Stefanie (SGR Consulting)	They Are At It Again Committee, No on B	Fundraising management	$14,550	$14,550
Solem & Associates	Committee to Stop the Blank Check, No on H	Campaign consulting	$11,208	$10,042
Solem & Associates	Committee to Elect Claudine Cheng for District 3 Supervisor	Advice & campaign consulting	$18,069	$21,692
The Garry South Group	Newsom for California Exploratory Committee	Campaign consulting	$43,258	$62,507
Staton Hughes	No activity for reporting period		$0	$0
Stearns Consulting, Inc.	David Campos	Campaign strategy & media	$0	$63,551
Stearns Consulting, Inc.	David Chiu	Campaign strategy & media	$0	$169,419
Stearns Consulting, Inc.	Jaynry Mak	Campaign strategy & media	$0	$15,741
Stearns Consulting, Inc.	SF Labor Council	Campaign strategy & media	$0	$156,060
Stearns Consulting, Inc.	Save 911 - No New Taxes	Campaign strategy & media	$0	$25,537
Stearns Consulting, Inc.	San Franciscans for Smart Planning - Yes on J	Campaign strategy & media	$0	$28,661
Stearns Consulting, Inc.	Close the Loopholes, Yes on N/Yes on Q	Campaign strategy & media	$0	$11,530
Stearns Consulting, Inc.	Committee to Keep MUNI Accountable - No on P	Campaign strategy & media	$0	$33,575
Stearns Consulting, Inc.	SF Clean Energy - Yes on H	Campaign strategy & media	$0	$2,800
Storefront Political Media	Committee to Stop the Blank Check, No on H	Campaign consulting; media production, distribution and placement	$1,007,485	$1,045,213
Storefront Political Media	Newsom for California Exploratory Committee	Campaign consulting; media production, distribution and placement	$53,183	$30,421
Storefront Political Media	Community Justice Court Coalition (Yes on L)	Campaign consulting; media production, distribution and placement	$7,117	$7,999
Talmus, Laura	No activity for reporting period		$0	$0
Terris Barnes & Walters	McCarthy for Supervisor	General Consulting and Direct Mail	$65,773	$65,773
Vaughan, Susan E.	Eric Mar	Fundraising, media outreach, events production, promotion	$8,045	$8,045
Whitehurst Campaigns, Inc.	Committee to Rebuild General Hospital, Yes on A	Campaign management consulting	$0	$99,336
Whitehurst Campaigns, Inc.	Citizens United for Reform, Yes on B	Campaign management consulting	$20,000	$0
Whitehurst Campaigns, Inc.	Committee to Restore Our Waterfront, Yes on D	Campaign management consulting	$0	$15,476
Wong, Danny	Committee to Stop the Blank Check, No on H	Campaign Consultant	$0	$16,500
Zago, Giuseppe	Committee to Stop the Blank Check, No on H	Campaign Manager	$0	$73,222
TOTAL			$1,985,420	$3,978,592

Table 3: Political Contributions

Filers must report each political contribution of $100 or more to a candidate for local office, a committee controlled by a local officeholder or a candidate for local office, or a ballot measure committee whether or not the committee is controlled by a local officeholder or a candidate for local office. Filers must report contributions of $100 or more made or delivered by the filer, or made by the filer’s client at the filer’s behest, or for which the filer acted as an agent or intermediary during the reporting period. This chart indicates the political contributions made by campaign consultants during the reporting period. Filers reported a total of $4,830 in political contributions during the fourth quarter.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO CITY OFFICERS/CANDIDATES FOR CITY OFFICE
Committee Name	Consultant Name	Amount
Joseph Alioto, Jr. - Candidate for SF Supervisor, District 3	Moscone Public Affairs, Inc.	$400
	Nick Clemons	$150
	Claudia Ross	$500
John Avalos for Supervisor	Solem & Associates	$250
David Chiu for Supervisor	Imprenta Communications Group	$200
	Whitehurst Campaigns, Inc. (intermediary: Sam Lauter)	$500
Carmen Chu for Supervisor, District 4	Moscone Public Affairs, Inc.	$400
Committee to Elect Lynn Johnson	Erwin and Muir	$500
	Erwin and Muir	$180
Myrna Lim for Supervisor	Imprenta Communications Group	$250
Denise McCarthy, Candidate for Supervisor	Staton Hughes (intermediary: Mary Hughes)	$250
Rachel Norton for SF Board of Education	Erwin and Muir	$100
	Staton Hughes (intermediary: Mary Hughes)	$100
	Staton Hughes (intermediary: Cliff Staton)	$100
Re-Elect Rodel Rodis for College Board	Imprenta Communications Group	$500
Mark Sanchez for District 9 Supervisor	Sonya Mehta	$400
Kimberly Wicoff	Wayee Chu	$50
GRAND TOTAL OF CONTRIBUTIONS OF $100 OR MORE MADE BY CAMPAIGN CONSULTANTS DURING FOURTH QUARTER 2008		$4,830

Vendor/Subvendor Payments

Each filer must report economic consideration promised to or received by the filer during the reporting period from vendors and sub-vendors who provide campaign-related goods or services to the filer’s current clients. Harvey Harlowe Hukari reported receiving $1,533.42 from Spaulding Printing and Graphic Design during this reporting period.

Gifts to Local Officeholders

Each filer must report any gifts promised or made by the filer to a local officeholder during the reporting period which in the aggregate total $50 or more. No filers reported any gifts promised or made to a local officeholder during this reporting period.

Employment of Local Officeholders and City Employees

If the filer employs a local officeholder or City employee during the reporting period, the filer must report the name of the officeholder or City employee and describe the nature of the employment by the filer. In addition, if a client of the filer employs a local officeholder or City employee at the behest of the filer during the reporting period, the filer must report the name of the client, the name of each officeholder or City employee hired by the client, and the nature of the employment by the client. No filers reported activity in this category.

City ContractsObtained During the Reporting Period

If the filer obtains a City contract during the reporting period and the contract is approved by a local officeholder who is the filer’s client, the filer must report the contract, the date the contract was obtained, and the name of the officeholder who approved the contract. No filers reported obtaining a City contract during the reporting period.

Appointment to Public Office

If the filer is appointed to public office during the reporting period and the appointment is made by a local officeholder who is the filer’s client, the filer must report the public office to which the filer was appointed, the date of the appointment, and the name of the officeholder who appointed the filer. No filers reported appointment to public office during the reporting period.