Friend—Something interesting (read: potentially illegal) happened at my neighborhood council meeting the other night.

A representative from the office of State Senator Anthony Portantino visited the council meeting to update us on a bill he’s sponsoring.

Portantino is one of my opponents for this open Congressional seat—he’s also the leading fundraiser, having taken donations from Wells Fargo, Blue Cross Blue Shield, the California beef lobby, and countless more corporate PACs and special interests. His campaign website does not have a page where he lays out his stances on the issues (unlike my own).

One of my colleagues asked his staff member why he came to our meeting since Silver Lake is not in the State Senator’s district, and he fumbled for an answer. My colleague followed up by saying “is there an ulterior motive”? And he responded, “he’s running for CA-30”.

Using his current office to campaign for another office is unethical at best, and potentially illegal at worst.

As an elected board member of the Silver Lake Neighborhood Council, we have to take ethics trainings that cover topics just like these.

Do state senators? Did Portantino?

We’ve seen dozens of times around the country that people power can beat corporate money in elections just like these. Portantino knows our movement can win—and he’s resorting to shady tactics to stop us.

Let’s fight back. We have just a couple weeks until our end-of-quarter deadline; can you pitch in now?

This campaign is fighting for ethical, responsive, transparent leadership. Good governance comes from the bottom-up, not from corporate power-down.

We’re building a powerful team of thoughtful, conscientious, and inspired organizers across this district and across the country.

I’d much rather have you on my side than corporate money.

In solidarity,

Maebe