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Third Quarter 2009 Summary of Earnings and Activity of Campaign Consultants Registered with the City and County of San Francisco – June 1, 2009 through August 31, 2009

English

Jamienne S. Studley, Chairperson
John St. Croix, Executive Director

Report prepared by:                                                      
Catherine Argumedo                                                 

Date Issued: October 15, 2009

CAMPAIGN CONSULTANT FILING

THIRD QUARTER 2009

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 September 15, 2009 and covered the filing period beginning June 1, 2009 and ending August 31, 2009.

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
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
Second 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
Third Quarter 2006 18 $279,270 $310,077 $4,200
Fourth Quarter 2006 21 $842,765 $617,275 $12,700
First Quarter 2007 14 $115,761 $135,720 $1,200
Second Quarter 2007 16 $227,514 $163,333 N/A*
Third Quarter 2007 19 $479,895 $414,496 $69,137
Fourth Quarter 2007 19 $1,262,553 $1,324,139 $35,875
First Quarter 2008 21 $622,255 $830,920 $92,950
Second Quarter 2008 27 $718,486 $1,011,559 $3,750
Third Quarter 2008 40 $862,640 $811,954 $4,843
Fourth Quarter 2008 41 $1,985,420 $3,978,592 $4,830
First Quarter 2009 21 $490,230 $451,730 $1,560
Second Quarter 2009 20 $429,076 $447,804 $3,545
Third Quarter 2009 25 $519,855 $562,206 $2,250

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 fourth quarter of 2008 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 (June 1, 2009 – August 31, 2009)

Table 1 summarizes all reported activity by campaign consultants for the third quarter of 2009.  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.

Consultant Payments Promised By Clients Payments Received From Clients Political Contributions
Armour Media Group $0 $0 $0
Ballard, Sarah $9,541 $6,250 $0
Barry Arata, Paige $15,000 $16,411 $500
Bowman, Christopher L. $0 $0 $0
Brokaw, Brian $27,331 $27,331 $0
Clemons, Nick $46,500 $46,500 $250
Corcoran, Chris $9,054 $9,054 $0
Green, Jim $31,198 $31,198 $0
Ground Floor Public Affairs $22,500 $22,500 $0
Hariri, Baha $15,071 $10,071 $0
Hope Road Consulting, LLC $5,259 $1,773 $0
Hsieh & Associates $0 $28,609 $0
Hsieh, Francisco $4,500 $4,500 $0
Integrated Fundraising Strategies $21,972 $14,897 $0
Lyons, Nichelle $0 $0 $0
MSHC Partners, Inc. $2,329 $0 $0
Roumeliotes, Stefanie (SGR Consulting) $0 $0 $0
SCN Strategies, Inc. $75,000 $45,000 $0
The Garry South Group $75,374 $75,381 $0
Stearns Consulting, Inc. $118,259 $118,259 $0
Storefront Political Media $36,503 $60,122 $500
Talmus, Laura $0 $0 $0
Terris Barnes & Walters $0 $0 $0
Whitehurst Campaigns, Inc. $0 $27,500 $1,000
Workman, Dee Dee $4,465 $16,850 $0
TOTAL $519,855 $562,206 $2,250

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 third quarter totaled $519,855.  The payments received by all filers from clients during the third quarter totaled $562,206.

TABLE 2        
CAMPAIGN CONSULTANT CLIENT(S) SERVICES PERFORMED TOTAL PAYMENTS PROMISED TOTAL PAYMENTS RECEIVED
Ballard, Sarah Michela Alioto-Pier for Insurance Commissioner 2010 Fundraising services $9,541 $6,250
Barry Arata, Paige Newsom for California Exploratory Committee Fundraising services $15,000 $16,411
Brokaw, Brian Kamala Harris for Attorney General Campaign management $27,331 $27,331
Clemons, Nick Newsom for California Exploratory Committee Campaign management $46,500 $46,500
Corcoran, Chris Newsom for California Exploratory Committee Campaign Fundraising $9,054 $9,054
Green, Jim Kamala Harris for Attorney General Fundraising services $31,198 $31,198
Ground Floor Public Affairs Re-Elect City Attorney Dennis Herrera Campaign consulting & strategy $22,500 $22,500
Hariri, Baha Michela Alioto-Pier for Insurance Commissioner 2010 Campaign management $15,071 $10,071
Hope Road Consulting, LLC Steve Ngo Campaign consulting services $2,936 $1,450
Hope Road Consulting, LLC Hydra Mendoza Campaign consulting services $2,323 $323
Hsieh & Associates Newsom for California Exploratory Committee Political advice, endorsements, and fundraising $0 $28,609
Hsieh, Francisco Fiona Ma Fundraising and outreach $4,500 $4,500
Integrated Fundraising Strategies Re-Elect City Attorney Dennis Herrera Fundraising consulting and logistics $21,972 $14,897
MSHC Partners, Inc. Michela Alioto-Pier for Insurance Commissioner 2010 Creation of landing page for internet website $2,329 $0
SCN Strategies, Inc. Kamala Harris for Attorney General Campaign management and strategy $45,000 $45,000
SCN Strategies, Inc. Michela Alioto-Pier for Insurance Commissioner 2010 Campaign consulting $30,000 $0
The Garry South Group Newsom for California Exploratory Committee Campaign consulting services $75,374 $75,381
Stearns Consulting Committee to Keep MUNI Accountable, No on P Campaign strategy and media $7,214 $7,214
Stearns Consulting Mid-Market ARTS Alliance Campaign strategy and media $39,230 $39,230
Stearns Consulting SF Democratic Party Campaign strategy and media $35,502 $35,502
Stearns Consulting Kamala Harris for Attorney General Campaign strategy and media $36,313 $36,313
Storefront Political Media Newsom for California Exploratory Committee Campaign consulting; media production, distribution and placement $36,503 $60,122
Whitehurst Campaigns, Inc. Cisneros for Treasurer 2009 General campaign management consulting $0 $27,500
Workman, Dee Dee Mid-Market ARTS Alliance Campaign strategy $4,465 $16,850
TOTAL     $519,855 $562,206

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 $2,250 in political contributions during the third quarter.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO CITY OFFICERS/CANDIDATES FOR CITY OFFICE
 Committee  Name  Consultant Name Amount
 Cisneros for Treasurer 2009  Paige Barry Arata $500
 Newsom for California – Governor 2010  Nick Clemons $250
 Newsom for California – Governor 2010  Storefront Political Media $500
 Re-Elect City Attorney Dennis Herrera 2009  Whitehurst Campaigns, Inc.  
(as intermediary)
$1,000
GRAND TOTAL OF CONTRIBUTIONS OF $100 OR MORE MADE DURING THIRD QUARTER 2009 $2,250

Vendor/Subvendor Payments

Each filer must report economic consideration promised to or received by the filer during the reporting period from vendors and sub-vendors who provide campaign-related goods or services to the filer’s current clients.  Integrated Fundraising Strategies reported receiving $972.38 in reimbursements from its client, Dennis Herrera for City Attorney.

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 filers 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 filers reported activity in this category.

City Contracts Obtained 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 filers 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 filers reported appointment to public office during the reporting period.

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