The state union representing correctional officers is asking for the return of a $2 million donation to a ballot measure committee that is trying to roll back many of the criminal justice reforms championed by Democrats in recent years.
The unusual request, dated January 14, comes as the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, or CCPOA, is gearing up for contract negotiations with the new Gavin Newsom administration.
The CCPOA donation to the “Keep California Safe Issues Campaign” is the ballot measure’s largest contribution to date, and accounts for about half of their donations so far. The measure is slated to appear on California’s 2020 ballot after proponents qualified the proposal last summer.
“As you aware, during the last week of December 2018, CCPOA contributed two million dollars to your Issues Committee,” the letter from CCPOA president Kurt Stoetzl states. “As you may not be aware, this contribution was made by our past president in the final hours of his term. This contribution was made without the new leadership of CCPOA having the opportunity to evaluate the proposed initiative, to determine if the goals of your Issues Committee, and the initiative, are in step in the goals of CCPOA.”
The letter goes on to ask the campaign to return the money “so that we can evaluate your positions and determine whether or not we are in support.”