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SF Ethics Commission

Campaign Consultant Filing, Second Quarter 2006

SECOND QUARTER 2006 SUMMARY OF EARNINGS AND ACTIVITY OF CAMPAIGN CONSULTANTS REGISTERED WITH THE CITY

March 1, 2006 through May 31, 2006

Emi Gusukuma, Chairperson
John St. Croix, Executive Director

Report prepared by:                                                       
Richard Mo, Chief Enforcement Officer                  

Date Issued:  July 19, 2006
                                                                                   

CAMPAIGN CONSULTANT FILING
SECOND QUARTER 2006

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 second quarter activity reports were due on June 15, 2006 and covered the filing period beginning March 1, 2006 and ending May 31, 2006.  Thirteen out ­of thirteen registered campaign consultants filed with the Ethics Commission in the second quarter of 2006.

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

Seccond 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

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:

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

OR

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:

  1. Producing or authorizing the production of campaign literature and print and broadcast advertising; or
  2. Seeking endorsements of organizations or individuals; or
  3. Seeking financing; or
  4. 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 second quarter of 2006 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 March 1, 2006 – May 31, 2006

Table 1 summarizes all reported activity by campaign consultants for the second quarter of 2006.  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.

Table 1

All Reported Activity

(Listed in Alphabetical Order)

CAMPAIGN CONSULTANT

TOTAL PAYMENTS RECEIVED

 TOTAL PAYMENTS PROMISED

 POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS

 GIFTS MADE TO OFFICEHOLDERS

Barnes Mosher Whitehurst Lauter & Partners

$18,409

$50,000

$0

$0

Bowman, Christopher

$0

$0

$0

$0

Gibbs, Gregory

$6,450

$6,450

$0

$0

Gutierrez, David

$0

$0

$0

$0

Hope Road Consulting, LLC

$0

$0

$0

$0

Hsieh, Francisco

$3,000

$3,000

$0

$0

Hsieh & Associates

$20,600

$20,600

$0

$0

Lyons, Nichele

$25,665

$22,417

$0

$0

Malchow, Shclackman & Hoppey, Inc.

$31,219

$14,720

$0

$0

McCarthy, Brian

$10,500

$10,500

$0

$0

Solem & Associates

$0

$0

$1,000

$0

Stearns Consulting

$9,774

$12,955

$0

$0

Terris, Barnes and Walters

$259,686

$259,686

$0

$0

 TOTAL REPORTED ACTIVITY

$385,303

$400,328

$1,000

$0

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 second quarter totaled $400,328.  The payments received by all filers from clients during the second quarter totaled $385,303.

Table 2

Payments to Campaign Consultants

Campaign Consultant

Client(s)

Services Performed

Total Payments Promised

Total Payments Received

Barnes Mosher Whitehurst Lauter & Partners

No on D – Save Laguna Honda
No on C – Save Transbay

Campaign management
Campaign management

$20,000
$30,000

$13,795
$4,614

Bowman, Christopher

No reportable activity

No reportable activity

$0

$0

Gibbs, Gregory

Bevan Dufty

Campaign director

$6,450

$6,450

Gutierrez, David

No reportable activity

No reportable activity

$0

$0

Hope Road Consulting

No reportable activity

No reportable activity

$0

$0

Hsieh, Francisco

Fiona Ma for Assembly

Community fundraising and outreach

$3,000

$3,000

Hsieh & Associates

Fiona Ma for Assembly

Campaign management

$20,600

$20,600

Lyons, Nichele

Michela Alioto-Pier
No on Prop D

Fundraising
Fundraising

$4,240
$18,177

$15,181
$10,484

Malchow, Shclackman & Hoppey, Inc.

California Urban Issues Project
Committee on Jobs
Committee to Re-elect Alioto-Pier

Website design; hosting; ad campaign
Online ad campaign
Online ad campaign

$3,265
$3,496
$7,959

$23,260
$0
$7,959

McCarthy, Brian

Fiona Ma for Assembly

Fundraising

$10,500

$10,500

Solem & Associates

No reportable activity

No reportable activity

$0

$0

Stearns Consulting

Re-Elect Sophie Maxwell
Kamala Harris for DA

Political consulting
Political consulting

$0
$12,955

$8,784
$990

Terris, Barnes and Walters

Fiona Ma for Assembly

Campaign consulting

$259,686

$259,686

TOTAL PAYMENTS PROMISED TO AND RECEIVED BY CAMPAIGN CONSULTANTS

$400,328

$385,303

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 $1,000 in political contributions during the second quarter.

Table 3

Political Contributions

Campaign Consultant

Candidates/Committees

Contribution

Solem &Associates

Fiona Ma for Assembly
Save Laguna Honda Hospital
Phil Ting for Assessor
Douglas Chan for Supervisor

$250
$250
$250
$250

Total Contributions:

$1,000

Vendor/Subvendor Payments

Each filer must report economic consideration promised to or received by the filer during the reporting period from vendors and subvendors who provide campaign-related goods or services to the filer’s current clients.  No filer reported any payments to or from any vendors or subvendors 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 filer 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 filer 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 filer 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 filer reported appointment to public office during the reporting period.