Former Assemblymember Joe Nation
Photo by Luke Thomas
By Luke Thomas
May 14, 2008
Senate District 3 candidate Joe Nation yesterday took issue with claims made by fellow challenger Assemblymember Mark Leno about Nation’s campaign contributors.
In an FCJ article published May 12 (Leno Loans $100,000 to Senate D3 Campaign), Leno states: “Joe Nation has big corporate interests filling his campaign coffers. Pharmaceutical companies, the insurance industry… I think there may be some oil money as well. So, that’s what I’m up against.”
Responding to Leno’s claims, Nation wrote the following memorandum, dated May 13, to Fog City Journal:
Here are some facts in response to Mark Leno’s comments in today’s article.
Leno claim: “Joe Nation has big corporate interests filling his campaign coffers. Pharmaceutical companies, the insurance industry…”
Nation’s response: “Joe Nation has not received any money from pharmaceutical companies in this campaign. Mark Leno has received contributions from GlaxoSmithKline and Serono Inc. (US affiliate of Merck). Nation received one check from an insurance interest – a $2,500 donation from the Personal Insurance Federation of California.Leno has received $7,500 in insurance donations including Pacific Life, AFLAC and American Insurance Association.A list of Leno’s pharmaceutical and insurance contributions is attached.”
Leno claim: “I think there may be some oil money as well. So, that’s what I’m up against.”
Nation’s response: “Nation has never accepted money for oil companies in his political career, including this campaign.”
Luke Thomas
Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Follow Me:
The Hunger Site
May 15, 2008 at 12:18 pm
A perfect example of why Leno is not to be trusted. He’s squirmy in the same way his buddy Gavin is. Says one thing, does another. Touts that he’s REALLY progressive. And hopes nobody will notice the contradictions.