To:        Interested Parties
From:    Steven Maviglio, Californians for Retirement Security
Re:        Is a Texas Enron Billionaire Funding Chuck Reed's Pension Ballot Measure?

On KPCC's "Airtalk" radio show this morning (http://www.scpr.org/programs/airtalk/), San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed was asked by show host Larry Mantle who is funding his ballot measure to slash retirement benefits for millions of California firefighters, police officers, teachers, and other public employees. Specifically, he was asked if Texas Enron billionaire John Arnold, who, according to the Sacramento Bee, already has provided money to Reed for this effort, was going to write checks.

His answer?

"I've never met John Arnold."

Sorry, Mayor Reed. That wasn't the question. But nice dodge.

He also was asked about GOP operative Charles Munger, Jr.'s role in his campaign. He couldn't say the same of him, because he was caught chatting up a storm with him at the conservative Hoover Institution at Stanford last week. So his answer?

"He's never written a check."

And what about former GOP Chairman Duff Sundheim, who has been active for many years trying to raise money for an anti-pension initiative.

"He's never written a check."

So who's funding Chuck Reed's ballot measure? He won't tell us. 

And the dark money fueling his effort continues to avoid the light of day.