Bob Lingl's Biggest Campaign Donors

Since I became a member of Team Linn, I've been taking a crash course on campaign financing.

When candidates run for public office, they are required to file forms, so the public can see who they're getting their money from and what they're spending it on. This is called TRANSPARENCY, and needless to say, I LOVE it.  Louis Brandeis, known as the "People's Lawyer" and later a Supreme Court Justice, wrote:

If the broad light of day could be let in upon men’s actions, it would purify them as the sun disinfects.

So I went down to City Hall and asked for - and received - all of our opponent's finance forms.

I learned a couple of things about the 2014 Mayoral race that I think are worth putting out in the sunshine. These are the facts - it's up to Lompoc voters to decide whether they matter.

In his 2014 campaign for Mayor, Bob Lingl spent $23,048.49 to get elected. It was probably the most expensive campaign in Lompoc history.  (John spent less than half that on his campaign - a total of $10,477.20.) And the break-down is interesting. More than half of Bob Lingl's money in 2014 came from just two sources.

Big E Produce, a successful agricultural enterprise with property inside and outside the City limits, donated $9,900. IBEW Local 1245, the union that represents most City employees, donated $2,548. These are two powerful organizations whose interests may or may not align with regular Lompoc residents. (Also - a minor point - these donations were not reported properly. But never mind. Paperwork is such a drag. Update: click here for FPPC Chapter 10 of the Campaign Manual which details additional reporting requirements for donations of $1000 or more.) 

Here's another fact. On his website, when he asked his supporters to donate to his campaign, he wrote:

"A successful campaign will take time and money.  I promise to put in the necessary time and I have already started my campaign fund with $2000 of my own money.  Can I count on your help?"

Screen shot from electboblingl.org (2014 campaign)

Maybe it's just me? When I read that, I thought he was saying he had actually donated his own money to his campaign. A campaign will "take time and money," he said, and he seemed to commit to putting in both.  Didn't he?  Well, I have no way of quantifying the amount of time he put into his campaign, but it appears that he put in ZERO dollars. According to his financial disclosures, in 2014 Bob Lingl LOANED $3,917 to his own campaign, and then took it back after the election.

Apparently, loaning money to your campaign is completely legitimate, and politicians do it all the time.  It's seed money: a way to get the ball rolling, until the first donations come in. But generally they don't CLAIM they are giving money to their campaign, if it's only a LOAN. Lingl spent over $20K of other people's money to get elected - but NONE of his own money. Hmmm... said he was committing time and money... actually did not commit any money.  To me, this seems to undermine his proclaimed resolve to "Keep Ethics and Morality in Lompoc."

For the current election cycle, on his new and improved website, our opponent again asks for money, and again says that he has "started" his campaign with $2000 of his "own money." (He also sent out letters that claim he's giving $2500 - but whether it's $2000 or $2500, I guess it doesn't matter, if he plans to get it all back at the end.)

Screen shot from electboblingl.org (2016 campaing)

letter, 2016 campaign

So what are the possible "take-aways" from this?

If you are a Lingl supporter who is thinking of contributing to his campaign, you might want to ask your guy if he's going to chip in some bucks as well.  (For real. Permanently.)

If you haven't already decided which candidate to vote for, you will have to determine whether or not Bob Lingl's actions are "open" and "transparent" - if they exemplify "Keeping Ethics and Morality in Lompoc."  How much does it matter to you, that he relies on big donors who have very particular goals for our City government?

If you are a Linn supporter: Please understand that this is going to be another expensive election - and Lingl is probably going to get big money from a few donors. John doesn't want big money from a few donors - he's asking for a little money from LOTS of donors.  He's already donated $900 of his "own money" - an actual, never-get-it-back contribution, for real. Now it's your turn.

Money is how we get the word out. Money pays for campaign mailers, signs, ads, videos, Facebook boosts, door hangers - all of which reach different types of voters.

 Please click on the donate button RIGHT NOW.  (Do it NOW.  You'll forget, if you don't. It's super easy and quick.) Give what you can.

Also, share this post with friends and family members who care about our City and want Linn for Lompoc.

GO AHEAD! Click it! See what happens!

Important update! 9/12/2016: Mayor Lingl, having read this post, has taken the time to inform me that the FPPC reporting rules (for donations over $1000) are new for 2016, and therefore he wouldn't have been expected to follow them in 2014.  I find it interesting that he defends himself against a charge that I referred to only parenthetically, and as a "minor point" and "paperwork" - but he has NO response, so far, regarding the big donors or his own campaign "contribution."