news story / By John C. Osborn

Money in Politics

Leonard has adopted a unique strategy for advertising: paying Google Adwords $514 for ranking, so when you type in “Bonnie Neely,” an ad for his website is the first to pop up. Other expenditures include $300 for consulting through Campaign Communications; $677 to Scrapper’s Edge in Eureka; $667 to Times Printing for campaign literature; and $448 to Shirt Shoppe in Eureka for those yellow Leonard shirts you may have seen around.

Virginia Bass ($42,292 this cycle; $119,781 total) pulled in the most cash of all the Fourth District Supe candidates this cycle, and she also has the largest war chest of not only her competitors but all candidates in all races. She earned seven contributions of $1,000 or more this cycle: $4,000 from the Humboldt County Deputy Sheriff’s Organization, $1,499 from Lundblade & Co., and $1,000 bumps from Dennis Wendt Riverwalk Property, Sicily Benzinger (St. Joseph’s Hospital Nurse), Jackie Saunderson (also a St. Joe’s nurse), Eilenn Mora (Fortuna farmer), and Harry Hardin (President of Eel River Disposal). She continues to gain much of her financial support from the business community and even garnered $100 from local philanthropist Betty Chin.

Bass spent large amounts of cash on advertising, primarily in the television area, to the tune of $47,236. The largest expenditures, all of which are ad-related, were Eureka-based Sainte Partners ($8,575), Suddenlink Communications ($7,686.80), Times Printing ($7,400.32), KIEM ($5,448.50), and the Times-Standard ($4,954.80).

District Attorney

Allison Jackson ($46,262 this cycle; $59,936 total) got a few hefty sponsors this time: $6,500 from the Humboldt County Deputy Sheriff’s Organization, $4,125 from Harry Hardin (Eel River Disposal), $1,500 from Kenneth Quigley (father of deceased Nicole Quigley), $1,000 from Jackie Sunderson (St. Joseph’s Hospital nurse), $975 from Nancy Cavanaugh (VP of Miranda’s Rescue), and, perhaps most noteworthy, $500 from former DA candidate Worth Dikeman.

Paul Hagen ($16,045 this cycle; $42,392 total) took out a $16,000 personal loan, bringing his person contribution to $21,200. A relative, Lillian Hagen, also gave him $10,000 this time. Factoring in all other contributions, the vast majority of his funding comes from outside of Humboldt County. Another notable contribution this cycle is $1,000 from Thomas DeArth, a hydrologist from Ripon, Calif.

It’s clear that Paul Gallegos ($57,517 this cycle; $95,959 total) is the biggest breadwinner of the DA race. His campaign went on a funding offense this cycle, garnering 13 contributions of $1,000 or more. The largest givers were two tribes — Blue Lake Rancheria and Bear River Band of Rohnerville — for $10,000 each. Other large contributers include Richard Cogwell and Ester Saunoras ($5,000 each), Northcoast Horticulture Supply ($3,000), Humboldt Wholesale Inc. ($3,000) and Roy Hanson Inc. ($2,500).

Despite the immense earnings, Gallegos still took out a $10,000 loan from his wife, Joan Gallegos, and still has an outstanding loan of $20,000 from a relative in Flordia.

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