Who’s behind the big dollars in Oakland politics?
Oakland will soon decide on its new mayor and a key city council position — but who’s bankrolling the candidates?
🗳️ Tomorrow is the special election. Don’t forget to mail your ballot or go to the polls tomorrow!
If you recall: After the Sheng Thao recall, long-time politico Barbara Lee was urged to run for mayor by much of the city's political establishment — a surprise move for the 26-year congresswomen nearing the end of a historic career.
For months, Lee and her ally in the District 2 race, Kara Murray-Badal, have portrayed their campaigns as squeaky clean: community-funded and above reproach.
But when you take a closer look, it’s clear that the same power players that got Oakland into its current mess are still pulling strings behind the scenes.
The catch: The same people that spent $1M+ to get Sheng Thao elected in 2022 have now put up another $1M to elect Barbara Lee (mayor) and Kara Murray-Badal (D2 city council).
It’s quite the hypocrisy to complain about how the other side is “buying the election” when your own campaigns are trying to do the same.
What have they done with all this money? Short answer: attack ads.
Things have gotten out of control, from photoshopping photos of Loren Taylor next to Donald Trump, to Trump-style name-calling like “Lyin’ Loren” — again, a far cry from a clean campaign.
The truth: There’s no denying that there are wealthy donors in all corners of politics, including some that back Loren, Charlene, and Empower Oakland. But Lee’s and Murray-Badal’s groups aren’t telling the full story.
The average donation to Loren Taylor’s campaign is $100, and more than 80% of his donations are from inside Oakland (vs. barely 50% for Lee).
Both Charlene and Loren have large, grassroots campaigns with hundreds of volunteers knocking on doors, phone banking, and raising awareness. No candidate should be able to claim a monopoly on being community-powered.
The irony: Lee and Murray-Badal have amassed donations from their own special interests groups, from corporate and big tech donors like PG&E and Airbnb, to billionaires and the city’s public sector employee labor unions.
For example, SEIU and IFPTE, which represent thousands of city employees, have together spent more than $450K on the two candidates.
Both of these groups have city contracts that expire this summer. If elected, Lee and Murray-Badal would be under incredible pressure to protect those jobs, potentially at the expense of essential services for all residents.
Being funded by those who receive wages and benefits like healthcare and pensions from the city is a clear conflict of interest. And while the SEIU, IFPTE, and others have a right to back the candidates of their choosing, it certainly isn’t any “better” or “cleaner” than taking money from wealthy donors.
By the way, Lee and Murray-Badal DO take money from wealthy donors, including Piedmont billionaires Quinn Delaney and Wayne Jordan, who are some of the biggest funders of Oakland Rising, the group that decries billionaires while happily taking their money.
Bottom line: The groups backing Lee and Murray-Badal aren’t the community-funded, grassroots organizations they make themselves out to be — they’re power brokers.
These groups intimidate politicians, swamp elections with money, and do whatever it takes to hold on to control — and they’re the same groups that have directly contributed to Oakland’s historic crime, rampant homelessness, crippling budget deficit, shuttered businesses, and broken streets. That’s in part why we believe they are so opposed to candidates like Loren and Charlene who aren’t willing to play their games.
Ultimately, city government has to work for all people, including working class people who are in unions and working class people who aren’t. We fully believe in the right to organize — and regularly partner with many groups who do — but we don’t believe in freeze-out tactics and lying during elections.
Empower Oakland was founded to restore trust and accountability in local government. Win or lose, our mission remains the same: a city government that’s transparent, accountable, and works for all Oaklanders.
Vote for Oakland’s comeback.
Vote for Loren Taylor and Charlene Wang.
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View Empower Oakland’s 2025 special election voter guide
Mayoral Endorsement: Loren Taylor
District 2 City Council Endorsement: Charlene Wang (#1) and Harold Lowe (#2)
Already voted. No to ridiculous sales tax increase, Lee for mayor.
I'd be suspicious of large donors from Piedmont. They're gonna have a fishy agenda.