The political committee behind Proposition 36, which has touted support from local Democratic leaders for the anti-crime measure, has donated $1 million to the California Republican Party in recent weeks.
The donation not only reflects the confidence that Proposition 36 proponents have about the measure passed in the Nov. 5 election, but also shows a partisan loyalty that appears to defy efforts to portray the campaign as bipartisan.
California’s Republican Party has endorsed Proposition 36 and has spent more than $1 million in favor of the measure, according to state campaign finance reports. The California Democratic Party, along with Governor Gavin Newsom and the Democratic leadership of the California Legislature, oppose the proposal.
“It is surprising and perhaps unprecedented to see a campaign give away some of its money before all the votes have been cast,” said Thad Kousser, a political science professor at the University of California, San Diego. “I think this is a sign of the campaign’s great confidence that they are on track for victory.”
A solid majority of likely voters in California support Proposition 36, the November ballot measure that would impose stiffer penalties for shoplifting and crimes involving fentanyl, according to a recent poll from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies co-sponsored by The Times.
Read more: Your guide to Proposition 36: Tougher penalties for some drug and theft crimes
“This initiative has strong bipartisan support,” Kousser added. “You have local support from Democratic mayors. So the fact that the campaign would give money directly to the party could raise eyebrows.”
The main organization supporting Proposition 36, called Californians for Safer Communities, made two payments of $500,000 each to the California Republican Party on Sept. 20 and Oct. 1, state campaign finance records show.
According to campaign finance reports filed with the secretary of state, the committee has raised more than $13.3 million as of Oct. 11. Opposition campaigns reported raising $5.9 million by the same date, the most recent reports showed.
The campaign for the ballot initiative is backed by a group of local prosecutors, including many who are politically conservative, and funded in large part by Walmart and other major retailers.
Proposition 36 has been endorsed by hundreds of local elected officials and a handful of Democratic mayors from major cities, including San Francisco, San Jose and San Diego, who have praised it as a bipartisan effort. But opponents of the measure, especially criminal justice reformists, progressives and Newsom, have called it a disguise for what is essentially a Republican-led effort to return California to the draconian, tough-on-crime policies of the past .
Read more: Californians broadly support Prop. 36 to crack down on crime, according to a new poll
Backed by major law enforcement organizations in California, Proposition 36 would impose harsher penalties for drug possession and shoplifting and would turn some crimes involving fentanyl and repeat shoplifting, which are currently felonies, into felonies.
Becky Warren, campaign spokesperson for the Yes on 36 campaign, said the donations are part of an outreach effort to voters of all political parties.
“Our voter contact plan allocates resources to educate Democrats, Republicans and independent voters about Proposition 36 commensurate with their representation in the electorate,” Warren told The Times.
The contributions to the state GOP were the only donations made by the committee, state records show.
Ellie Hockenbury, a spokesperson for the Republican Party of California, told The Times that the money would be used for voter education.
“The Republican Party of California has a record of nearly two-thirds wins on ballot initiatives we have taken a position on since 2019, and voter education is a contributing reason for that,” Hockenbury said in a statement to The Times. “On November 5, voters will reject Gavin Newsom and pass Prop. 36 to make California a safer state to live, work and raise a family in.”
The $1 million the California Republican Party spent in support of Proposition 36 was primarily for campaign mailers and communications with party members, state records show. A Republican Party spokesperson confirmed that the money was spent on advocacy and coordination with the Yes on 36 campaign and the Republican Party.
Marva Diaz, a political strategist and publisher of the California Target Book, a comprehensive political database, said ballot initiatives have donated to both the Republican and Democratic parties in recent election cycles.
Read more: It seems unlikely that Newsom will campaign heavily against Proposition 36, but is warning voters
Newsom and other top Democrats in California have repeatedly urged voters to reject Proposition 36, which they say will disproportionately incarcerate blacks and Latinos.
However, Democrats who have come out in favor of Proposition 36 say the initiative will help provide mass treatment for individuals who abuse drugs and commit repeat thefts.
“There is no place for partisanship when it comes to addressing California’s trio of public safety epidemics,” said San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, who helped form a separate fundraising committee that supported Proposition 36. “We can all unite around common sense solutions to address shoplifting, homelessness and drug overdose deaths,” he said.
If passed, Proposition 36 would dismantle parts of Proposition 47, a 2014 ballot measure that was overwhelmingly approved by Californians.
Proposition 47 aimed to reduce the number of individuals serving prison sentences for non-violent theft and low-level drug offenses, recognizing that these practices cost the state millions of dollars annually.
Proposition 36 seeks to reclassify certain crimes as misdemeanors for these crimes. It would also provide an opportunity for eligible Californians who routinely commit drug crimes to receive substance abuse treatment, although questions have been raised about where counties will receive funding for treatment.
According to legislative analysts, this change could ultimately lead to a significant increase in state spending while contributing to the rising prison population.
Read more: How will Kamala Harris vote on California Prop. 36 to strengthen some criminal penalties? She doesn’t want to say it
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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
