The largest special interest group in the state is the California Teachers Association, according to the California Fair Political Practices Commission, collecting nearly $1 million in the first three weeks of this October alone.
The organization turned around and gave half of that money away in that same time period, Oct. 1-20, most of that on one day: Oct. 10.
So which Orange County races in Patch towns were helped out with CTA money? An online financial document reveals the information.
- Ginny Aitkens for Saddleback Valley Unified School Board, $1,500 (she won.)
- Don Sedgwick for Saddleback Unified School Board 2012, $1,500. (He won.)
- Suzie Swartz for Saddleback Valley Unified School Board 2012, $1,500 (She won.)
- The Capistrano Unified School District teachers’ union political action committee. The CTA donated $14,870 to the Capistrano Unified Education Association’s Help Organize for Children PAC. It was the statewide group’s first donation of the year.
- Committee to Elect Ian Collins for Fountain Valley School Board, $300. (He won.)
- The Huntington Beach Union High School District Educators Association, $15,000 for the teachers PAC.
- Ocean View Teachers Association PAC, $4,000.
- Westminster Teachers Association PAC Political Action Group for Education, $3,000.
