Race Between Bob Buster And Kevin Jeffries Gets Heated

The campaign for incumbent Riverside County Supervisor Bob Buster said Wednesday that opponent Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries is getting heavy financial backing from special interests, “Sacramento cronies,” and out-of-state corporations.

The support, Buster’s office contends, is contrary to the assemblyman’s assertions that he’s running a grassroots campaign.

Jeffries responded today, saying the charges are nothing more than "conspiracy theories" and "pathetic accusations."

"It’s clear that Buster is now so worried about his re-election chances that he is throwing everything he can at me to see what sticks," the assemblyman said.

According to a news release out of Buster’s office Wednesday, “Jeffries campaign finance disclosures confirm the termed-out politician would continue to be a lapdog for any special interest willing to fatten his campaign coffers.”

Buster’s office is particularly critical of contributions to the Jeffries campaign from the solar industry.

Jeffries has “raked in” tens of thousands of dollars from international solar companies that want to build massive solar plants here and send their power to coastal counties, without returning any sustainable benefits to Riverside County, Buster said in the news release. “Solar investor, Morgan Stanley, which scored big in federal taxpayer bailouts, has also contributed to Jeffries campaign.

“These international corporations received massive federal subsidies from taxpayers and now they want Riverside County taxpayers to subsidize them too. It’s unacceptable,” Buster said.

Buster joined his fellow board members last November in unanimously approving a policy that imposes a per-acre fee on solar projects slated for Riverside County. The policy is now the focus of a lawsuit filed by the Independent Energy Producers Association and the large-scale Solar Association. The industry groups are seeking to have the policy invalidated because, they argue, it amounts to a tax, and any tax must be approved by voters under Proposition 26.

Jeffries has denounced the county’s policy.

"The backers of these renewable energy projects are asking the courts for relief for what they believe to be an illegal tax masquerading as a fee, and fear that this added cost ... could doom a number of projects and cause them to move to other counties that are more competitive and job friendly," Jeffries said last month. "Our region has one of the highest unemployment rates in the state; we cannot afford to let overzealous county fees and regulations chase jobs away.”

According to the most recent campaign contributions disclosure statements filed with the Riverside County Registrar of Voters Office Buster’s campaign has exceeded the Jeffries team in terms of contributions received this year.

In the calendar year to-date through Oct. 20, the Jeffries campaign has received approximately $242,000 in contributions -- including cash, nonmonetary donations, and loans – compared to Buster who has received $376,910 for the same period, according to the campaign contributions filings.

Although Jeffries has received large campaign contributions from companies such as Florida-based NextEra Energy Resources and Arizona-based First Solar, his biggest contributions in 2012 came from two non-solar-power-related political action committees, the Riverside County Deputy District Attorney’s Association and the California Real Estate PAC.

One of Buster’s largest contributors this year is privately held Palm Springs-based Wintec Energy Ltd., which focuses on wind, solar and natural gas projects. Other Buster contributors that have made large contributions during 2012 include Corona-based Robertson’s, a producer of ready-mix concrete, as well as Palm Springs-based D&E Land Company.

Jeffries contends that Buster's focus on campaign contributions "is nothing more than an attempt to divert attention away" from a group of donors who have padded the incumbent's campaign coffers in an effort to gain favors down the road.

"He's basically conducting his campaign as an extortion or protection racket for those who need land-use permits or want to keep doing business in or with the county," Jeffries said.