County Supervisors Used Obscure Events Fund to Solicit Over $100K from Influential Donors Since 2024
- Susan Heavilin
- 17 hours ago
- 1 min read
This story uncovers that three Supervisors on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors have been soliciting donor money. One of those Supervisors is in charge of District 1, our district.
It caught my attention when Paloma Aguirre had a huge celebration bash—for invited guests only—after she won her seat for District 1. According to public records obtained by KPBS, that event cost over $18,000. I don't recall an official throwing a gala event quite like this in the past.
A KPBS investigation found influential donors have been gifting thousands of dollars to San Diego County Supervisor offices.
Three of the five County Supervisors are named: Board Chair Terra Lawson (District 3), Chair Pro Tem Paloma Aguirre (District 1) and Joel Anderson (District 1). Anderson ran for the office of San Diego Treasurer-Tax Collector in March 2026.
“There is an influence factor going on where the candidate knows who's giving, how much they're giving. And in the public's eyes, that can influence possibly how an elected official votes on policy that could be favorable to those people or entities.”—Sean McMorris, Common Cause California
This was an AHA! moment when I recalled how the Board of Supervisors treated the community speaking against the construction of the Secure Space Self Storage on Quarry Road in Bonita-Sunnyside. They never looked up from their phones. Obviously, we were not in their good graces.
Investigative reporter Scott Rodd dug into how they spent the money. Here's his story.
Scott Rodd, Investigative Reporter with Carolyne Corelis, Video Journalist | April 7, 2026 | KPBS
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