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New financial disclosures are peeling back the curtain on who helped fund the recent Congressional District 16 recount — starting with former New York City Mayor and billionaire Michael Bloomberg.
A super PAC called Neighbors for Results, which Bloomberg infused with $500,000 in February, paid $102,000 to another super PAC called Count the Vote between April 12-17 — while Count the Vote was paying county elections officials to conduct a recount which may have bolstered frontrunner Sam Liccardo’s prospects in the November runoff. Neighbors for Results spent nearly $458,000 in support of former San Jose Mayor Liccardo between January and March, according to federal elections data. Both political action committees list Matthew Alvarez of Rutan & Tucker LLP as treasurer.
Alvarez did not respond to requests for comment.
Neighbors for Results raised $565,000 between January and March from only three funders: Cypress Semiconductor founder Thurman John Rodgers, former NetApp CEO Daniel Warmenhoven and Bloomberg. The former San Jose and New York City mayors go a few years back, politically, with Liccardo endorsing and serving as a key advisor to Bloomberg’s failed 2020 presidential campaign.
The Congressional District 16 recount of more than 182,000 votes broke a tie between candidates Assemblymember Evan Low and Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian in the March primary, with Simitian being knocked off the final tally.
Representatives for Liccardo, Low and Simitian’s campaigns did not respond to requests for comment.
The complete list of funders behind the recount have remained a mystery. As a quarterly filer, Count the Vote won’t have to release its campaign finance disclosures until July. But as a monthly filer, Neighbors for Results has disclosed its own role early. The issue prompted District 16 Congresswoman Anna Eshoo — who retires from office at the end of the year – along with the county Democratic Party to demand the disclosure of its funders’ identities due to lack the of transparency.
Max Zarzana, a 25-year prosecutor and president of the Santa Clara County Government Attorneys Association, filed a complaint against Liccardo with the Federal Election Commission in April. He accused Liccardo’s campaign of engaging in a “secret scheme to illegally coordinate with a newly-formed dark money Super PAC to do his CD-16 recount bidding.” He said the move is in line with the former mayor’s “past anti-transparent behavior.”
Liccardo has denied any involvement in the recount.
I’m glad that the funding for the recount is finally being exposed. Why should people like Bloomberg have the power to affect the outcome of our election for the new member of the House of Representatives? I really resent these secret PAC’s. Can we do anything to stop this behind the scenes political maneuvering?
Liccardo’s maneuvering = Vote for Low. And because of this we won’t be able to vote for the best candidate, Simitian. What a shame.
I’m profoundly disappointed Joe Simitian will not be on the ballot. Neither Liccardo nor Low can hold a candle to his record. It’s too bad local spoiler candidates didn’t have the good sense not to run. Greg Tanaka’s Council service has been lackluster at best and Julie Lythcott-Haims had not even completed one year of her very first term in public office on City Council when she declared her candidacy. Chutzpah. Neither ever had a prayer, and they spoiled the chances of one of the best representatives we have had on PAUSD School Board, Palo Alto City Council, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, and State Senate. In each of these roles, Joe has served and continues to serve with thoughtful distinction and truly creative problem solving we don’t often see in government.
WOW – the main topic is interference in CA elections and management. Let’s turn that theory on the recent rejection of the limitation on PGE profit taking – Buffy Wicks. How about the Developer’s Remedy – every developer is out-of-state – The Weiner – from New Jersey. We are being ransacked and our current legislative reps just vote YES. Who is paying who? How about the YIMBY’s – they are from PA.
Not sure what is so nefarious here? The recount rules are clear — they aren’t free. And given how our congressional district has shifted, the balance of power has jumped from the San Mateo County based democrat machine to the San Jose machine.