Chiang Opponents Reveal Deep Pockets
Saturday, Oct. 28, 2006

According to his campaign, John Chiang, Democatic candidate for State Controller, is facing a sizable campaign against him after an independent group raised more than $10 million to defeat him in the Nov. 7 election.

John Chiang

Chiang, who is chair of the State Board of Equalization, is the only Asian American seeking a statewide office. A Field poll conducted in August showed support in the controller’s race is split among party lines, with Chiang leading 38 percent to Strickland’s 27 percent. According to Chiang’s campaign, Software company Intuit deposited $1 million into the account of a group called “Alliance for California’s Tomorrow” which at the same time announced that they would begin running TV ads to defeat Chiang and elect Republican Tony Strickland, a former three-term assemblymember from Ventura. “The Controller is California’s fiscal watchdog,” stated Chiang’s consultant Parke Skelton, “But we have wealthy special interests that want to put a muzzle on that watchdog. California needs an independent Controller who will fight for California’s families.”

“It is truly appalling that a couple of wealthy groups can, in a day, pump much more money into this critical race than both of the candidates have raised in over two years of work,” Skelton concluded.

Team 2006 funded by $9.1 million in contributions from casino-owning Native American Tribes, disclosed Tuesday that they had begun buying TV time to defeat Chiang. Their initial purchase was for $917,000. These tribes have substantial tax issues that come before the Board of Equalization and the Franchise Tax Board. The Controller sits as the swing vote on both of these tax policy boards.

Strickland has accused Chiang of running attack ads and taken more than $50,000 from tobacco interests.

“John Chiang is playing political games with the truth,” said Strickland Campaign Manager Paul Hegyi. “For years, John Chiang has used TAX PAC as a clearing house for contributions from donors that he either believes would hurt him politically or are banned from giving because of his seat on the Board of Equalization.”