By Robert Haugh
The San Francisco 49ers are spending big in Santa Clara elections again.
The team has created two new independent expenditure committees with a combined $980,000 to influence this year’s races for Mayor and City Council.
But this year’s political spending could be more controversial than usual.
Just days ago, 49ers owner Jed York was arrested in an undercover prostitution sting in Ohio.
Now, York’s organization is preparing to spend nearly $1 million to help decide who runs Santa Clara City Hall.
The biggest committee is aimed at the Mayor’s race.
The 49ers have put $645,000 into an independent expenditure committee to support Gary Ferraris and oppose David Kertes and Kathy Watanabe.
A second committee has $335,000 to influence a City Council race. That committee will support Kimberley Williams and oppose Yvonne Inciarte.
And the $980,000 may only be the beginning.
Since 2020, Jed York and affiliated political committees have spent approximately $10 million trying to elect favored candidates — and defeat opponents — in Santa Clara mayoral and City Council races.
In 2020 alone, the team spent approximately $3 million on Santa Clara City Council elections.
By the end of the 2022 election, 49ers-funded independent expenditure spending over two election cycles had exceeded $7.5 million, according to a Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury report.
Then came another multimillion-dollar effort in 2024, when 49ers-backed committees spent over $2 million supporting favored candidates and opposing others.
One of the most interesting aspects of this latest 49er move is that they are NOT supporting Karen Hardy or Kevin Park in their bids for mayor, two council members who regularly voted for decisions favoring the 49ers. Despite their having done the 49ers’ bidding in the face of scorching public criticism, the 49ers are now casting them by the wayside. Ferraris and Williams should take note that dealing with the 49ers is a one-way street.
Maybe the 49ers like Mark Twain when he said, “We have the best government that money can buy.” But I think Mr. Twain was making a joke.
— Mark Twain
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/mark_twain_379067?utm_source=share&utm_medium=select
Amazing
Just think their donation could have had an additional $140-160 dollars to “Spread” around. The total amount is in dispute because he agreed to pay $140 for sex with a Prostitute, but actually had an extra $20 just in case he wanted to leave the “Rain Coat” hanging in the closet so to speak.
I hate to make our City the brunt of any humor, but that’s the reality of dealing with the NFL.
So at the end of the day, whomever the 49ers decide is best for them, guess what, we already know it’s the worst for us.
So sad, but at the same time, so true.
Just The Facts Ma’am
Wow. The 49ers are starting their campaigning for their candidates?
Around 2012 there was a school board candidate. Anna Strauss. Should have won. Michele Ryan and her bulldogs from Santa Clara Plays Fair attacked Anna unmercifully as she took a donation from the 49ers for her campaign. Before the 49ers created PACs. Now you have bulldog Ryan supporting and parading Kimberly Williams around with a 49er PAC worth $335k! The 49er candidate for District 2. My how the tides have turned. Hypocrites one and all.
Vote Yvonne Inciarte!