K.J.’s dark money machine
Turns out, the mayor has his own lobbying group
Read 1 reader submitted comment
If you managed to choke down SN&R’s 5,000-word report on Mayor Kevin Johnson’s nonprofit network a couple weeks back, there’s more where that came from. Plenty more.
First, a quick clarification. In that story, “K.J. Inc.” (SN&R Feature Story, August 16), we reported that Mayor Johnson was funneling his leftover campaign money into one of his 501(c)(3) groups, called the Sacramento Public Policy Foundation.
The Sacramento Public Policy Foundation has received more than $1 million in so-called “behested” payments through the mayor’s office, in addition to unknown amounts given by anonymous donors. That was explained in the story.
But, in fact, the $180,000 in campaign money from Johnson’s re-election account was actually slushed into yet another fund, controlled by a 501(c)(4) group called the Sacramento Public Policy Forum.
Part of the confusion stems from the Forum’s low profile since its formation in 2009. It was formed—by Johnson and his attorney Fred Hiestand—to do lobbying on behalf of Johnson’s Sacramento First initiative, the mayor’s first attempt to boost development of a new Kings arena.
Sacramento First is defunct, but the Forum actually lived on, somewhat under the radar. Until this year, when it got a big infusion of cash from Johnson, to do … something.
Like the Foundation, the Forum is run by Johnson’s attorney Hiestand, along with political
First, a quick clarification. In that story, “K.J. Inc.” (SN&R Feature Story, August 16), we reported that Mayor Johnson was funneling his leftover campaign money into one of his 501(c)(3) groups, called the Sacramento Public Policy Foundation.
The Sacramento Public Policy Foundation has received more than $1 million in so-called “behested” payments through the mayor’s office, in addition to unknown amounts given by anonymous donors. That was explained in the story.
But, in fact, the $180,000 in campaign money from Johnson’s re-election account was actually slushed into yet another fund, controlled by a 501(c)(4) group called the Sacramento Public Policy Forum.
Part of the confusion stems from the Forum’s low profile since its formation in 2009. It was formed—by Johnson and his attorney Fred Hiestand—to do lobbying on behalf of Johnson’s Sacramento First initiative, the mayor’s first attempt to boost development of a new Kings arena.
Sacramento First is defunct, but the Forum actually lived on, somewhat under the radar. Until this year, when it got a big infusion of cash from Johnson, to do … something.
Like the Foundation, the Forum is run by Johnson’s attorney Hiestand, along with political