Senator Ed Hernandez’ Campaign Funding
[UPDATE: In addition to the contributions detailed below, on June 1, 2018, Blue Shield made a $250,000 contribution to an independent campaign for Hernandez' election as Lt. Governor.]
Since 2009, Hernandez has collected contributions into four campaign committee accounts:
- Hernandez for Lieutenant Governor 2018
- Hernandez for Senate 2014
- Hernandez for Senate 2010
- Hernandez San Gabriel Valley Public Services Ballot Measure Committee*
Blue Shield of California has provided more of the combined funding for these committees than any other corporate, individual or labor union donor. Just one entity has given more, the California Optometric Political Action Committee, which aggregates contributions from thousands of optometrists. (Hernandez is an optometrist.)
These are the top five contributors to Hernandez’ campaign committees:
Among health insurers, Blue Shield has given by far the most, even compared to all of the others put together.
In addition to the corporate contributions made by Blue Shield to Hernandez, the company's CEO, Paul Markovich, has given the maximum legal contribution to his campaign for Lt. Governor--$14,600.
* Since the Hernandez San Gabriel Valley Public Services Ballot Measure Committee is ostensibly for the purpose of supporting or opposing ballot initiatives, donors can make unlimited contributions to it. Blue Shield has given $125,500 to the committee. Hernandez, however, has never used any of the money raised by the committee to support or oppose any initiative, despite having established the committee 10 years ago. Campaign finance reform group Common Cause has described candidate-controlled ballot measure committees, such as this one, that are not used to campaign for or against a ballot initiative as "slush funds." The group says they provide special interests with a way of "paying off lawmakers without technically violating the law."