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Racism and Anti-Blackness in WA 28th Senate Race. This mailer has darkened the skin of the candidate it opposes, T'wina Nobles, and lightened the skin of the candidate it supports, Steve O'Ban. Disgraceful!!! Who did this? Let's dig in. /1
This mailer is an independent expenditure ad put out by a PAC (political action committee) called WA Forward (The Leadership Council). It's not supposed to be coordinated with any candidate. But if I were O'Ban, I'd repudiate this BS. So, what is WA Forward? /2
WA Forward is a PAC that is almost entirely funded by one $150,000 contribution from another PAC, The Leadership Council. Let's talk about WA Forward first, then we will go into The Leadership Council. /3
On July 9, WA Forward made the following expenditures: $15.400 to Strategic Media Services for TV/Radio adds in support of O'Ban/opposed to Nobles; $6,825 to DMM Media for production and postage of a mail piece in support of O'Ban/opposed to Nobles. /4
WA Forward also paid DMM Media $10,000 for TV ad in the O'Ban/Nobles race, plus $10,000 for consulting, and $7,000 for research. DMM Media is located at 1911 N Fort Myer Dr, Ste 400, Alexandria, VA 22209. /5
According to the required disclaimers on the mailer, the top 5 contributors to the mailer were The Leadership Council, RAI Services Company, Association of General Contractors, Building Industry Association of WA, and Washington Realtors. /6
The mailer also discloses that the top 3 contributors to the PAC are the Washington Realtors, Association of General Contractors, and National Association of Realtors. /7
If you belong to any of those organizations, how do you feel about this obviously racist mailer and the clear anti-blackness being used as a tactic in this campaign? Using your dues to hire out of state media consultants for this hit piece? /8
Let's turn to The Leadership Council. Remember, almost all of the WA Forward money comes from The Leadership Council. So, who contributes to them? /9
The Leadership Council is an interesting mix of developers, big oil, and other corporate contributors. Here are the contributors at the $10,000 plus level: /10
RAI Services, Winston Salem NC = $50,000
Associated General Contractors Seattle WA = $40,000
BNSF Railway Forth Worth TX = $25,000
Washington Assoc. of Realtors Olympia = $25,000
Building Industry Assoc. of WA Olympia = $25,000 /11
Associated General Contractors Seattle WA = $40,000
BNSF Railway Forth Worth TX = $25,000
Washington Assoc. of Realtors Olympia = $25,000
Building Industry Assoc. of WA Olympia = $25,000 /11
Puget Sound Chapter NECA PAC Shoreline = $20,000
Phillips 66 Houston TX = $12,000
WA Multi Family Housing Renton = $10,000
JUUL Labs Inc San Francisco CA = $10,000
Microsoft Redmond = $10,000
Washington Food Industry Assoc Olympia = $10,000 /12
Phillips 66 Houston TX = $12,000
WA Multi Family Housing Renton = $10,000
JUUL Labs Inc San Francisco CA = $10,000
Microsoft Redmond = $10,000
Washington Food Industry Assoc Olympia = $10,000 /12
I'll bet all those groups have issued statements against racism and in support of BLM or the Black community. How would they feel to see this mailer linked to them? How can they justify funding this race-baiting campaign? /13
This is not acceptable. This is not ok. We should not stand for this. /end
