During summertime campaign lull, State Senate candidate Ashby besieged by opponents for accepting big oil donations

California State Senate candidate Angelique Ashby. |

 

 

Updated 12:15 p.m. | 

 

Although there is a lull in active campaigning following the June California primary election, opponents of one candidate who will appear in the November general election continue their opposition efforts.

That candidate is District 8 California State Senate candidate, Sacramento City Councilmember Angelique Ashby will face former California Assemblymember and Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones in the November election. Although both are Democratic candidates, Ashby's opponents continue focusing on her campaign patrons.

A widely distributed email from the Environmental Caucus of the California Democratic Party has accused Ashby of breaking her vow against accepting donations from fossil fuel interests. Specifically, the email says Ashby "has violated the No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge by receiving a direct $4,900 contribution from a fossil fuel-funded political action committee, Californians for Jobs and a Strong Economy.

“Angelique Ashby has violated the No Fossil Fuel Money pledge. She accepted a maximum contribution from a Chevron-funded PAC, a PAC which has also spent hundreds of thousands of dollars supporting her Senate campaign and falsely attacking Dave Jones,” Igor Tregub, Environmental Caucus Chair of the California Democratic Party said. "Voters deserve to know the truth: Angelique Ashby violated the pledge not to take contributions from PACs funded by Big Oil.”

In a Twitter posting, Ashby claimed she did not take donations from fossil fuel interests.

So, IF @AshbyForSenate signed the pledge when she says she did (and we have no record that she did), then she broke the pledge.

OTOH, IF she did NOT sign the pledge then why is she saying she did? https://t.co/0yJEu6z2GW

It is all very curious.

— No Fossil Fuel Money (@NoFossilMoney) June 1, 2022

Among Elk Grove elected officials endorsing Ashby are Democratic Mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen and Cosumnes Community Services District Director Jaclyn Moreno, who is running for District 5 Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. Elk Grove Democratic City Councilmembers Vice Mayor Darren Suen and Stephanie Nguyen, who is on the November ballot for the District 10 seat of the California Assembly, have not endorsed Ashby or Jones. Also supporting Ashby is former Elk Grove, Mayor Gary Davis.  

In response to this and other assertions. on her campaign website Ashby has added a section titled "Setting the Record Straight." One of the accusation categories Ashby addressed on the page is titled Oil & Gas.

The website says:

When Angelique announced she was running for Senate in 2020, she signed the California Democratic Party’s No Fossil Fuel Money Pledge to not take any political contributions from oil, gas, or coal. She has kept this promise, and has also declined any contributions from PG&E or tobacco interests. 

Even though campaigns are in summertime dormancy, opponents are continuing their messaging about Ashby's donations. This theme will probably continue in the Autumn campaign.

In the most recent tabulations, Jones continues to hold 45-percent of the vote to Ashby's 41-percent. The third candidate in that race, Democrat Rafa Garcia, who holds policy positions similar to Jones, has 12-percent.   

UPDATED - The story has been updated to reflect that Elk Grove Vice Mayor Darren Suen has not made an endorsement in the District 8 California State Senate race between Ms. Ashby and Mr. Jones.

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