The Sacramento Bee reports that police unions are opening up their checkbooks in what looks like an effort to influence key Democratic members of the Assembly ahead of votes on SB2, the bill that would allow decertification of officers who have been found to have committed misconduct.
In particular, the article notes, the unions have donated to Assembly Appropriations Chairwoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego), with the Los Angeles Police Protective League giving $24,300 to a ballot measure favored by Gonzalez and a PAC of the Deputy Sheriff’s Association of San Diego splitting nearly $50,000 in donations between the ballot measure and Gonzalez’s campaign account.
A spokesman for Gonzalez rejected the suggestion that the donations could influence her votes, the paper reported.
SB2 passed through the Assembly Public Safety Committee earlier this month.