Terra Lawson-Remer
$55,406,951
total money tracked
Connected Interests
San Diego Foundation
$18,000,000
San Diego Foundation partnered with county (under Lawson-Remer leadership) to contribute $18M over 2 years to protect nonprofit services from federal cuts. County also contributes $18M. Lawson-Remer introduced proposal as Board Chair.
San Diego Foundation
$18,000,000
POTENTIAL UNREPORTED BEHESTED PAYMENT: SD Foundation committed $18M to Partnership to Protect San Diego, introduced by Lawson-Remer as Board Chair. Meets all four elements of reportable behested payment under Gov Code 84224: (1) at behest of elected officer, (2) no consideration from officer, (3) charitable purpose, (4) non-governmental payor. No Form 803 filed by Lawson-Remer or any county supervisor since 2022. If confirmed as behested payment, this would be the largest unreported behested payment in San Diego County history.
Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego
$6,300,000
County awarded SECOND contract ($6.3M for drug checking) to HRCSD in Aug 2024 WITHOUT returning to Board of Supervisors — purely administrative decision. This was AFTER April 2023 audit flagged financial control weaknesses and Knox prior conviction. Knox Consultants LLC (Knox + husband) listed as subcontractor = self-dealing.
Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego
$5,100,000
HRCSD awarded $5.1M naloxone distribution contract. Board of Supervisors directed award; Lawson-Remer was on board. HRCSD had no state registration, no tax filings, 2-member board at time of award.
San Diego Foundation
$4,900,000
County $4M donation + $900K admin fee to SD Foundation Unity Fund. Board voted 4-1 (Desmond dissent) on Nov 18, 2025 to approve Partnership to Protect SD. Lawson-Remer "helped craft the partnership" per UT. No competitive procurement — sole-sourced to SD Foundation. The $4M county donation to a private foundation charitable fund raises whether this is a separate behested payment or a governmental expenditure exempt under Gov Code 84224(b)(4). The Unity Fund is the Foundation's own community grant program, not a government program.
FM3 Research
$673,000
FM3 Research received $673K in county contracts since 2021. Lawson-Remer personally hired FM3 twice for budget/policy polling. Go-to contractor for county polling needs.
Laborers International Union Local 89
$325,000
Laborers Local 89 sponsored IE committee "San Diego Working Families Supporting Lawson-Remer" (org 1054) which raised $325K in Q3 2024, spent $183K opposing Faulconer. Type: independent expenditure.
San Diego Working Families Supporting Lawson-Remer for Supervisor 2024
$325,000
Laborers Local 89 "San Diego Working Families" IE committee spent $325K supporting Lawson-Remer 2024 supervisor campaign ($183K opposing Faulconer). Independent expenditure, not direct contribution.
Ironwood Public Affairs
$320,000
Ironwood Public Affairs awarded $320K contract by Lawson-Remer/Montgomery Steppe fiscal subcommittee for sales tax polling/research. Only bidder. Victor Aviña is ex-county BOS staffer.
Ironwood Public Affairs
$320,000
Lawson-Remer/Montgomery Steppe fiscal subcommittee awarded $320K contract to Ironwood Public Affairs (sole bidder) for sales tax polling/research. Team includes Amplify Campaigns, FM3 polling, Economic & Planning Systems, Olson Remcho law firm. Contract to study voter appetite for county-backed sales tax measure.
UNITED DOMESTIC WORKERS OF AMERICA ACTION FUND
$225,000
United Domestic Workers of America Action Fund (FPPC 1302384) contributed $200K (9/23/2024) + $25K (10/31/2024) = $225K to the LIUNA-sponsored IE supporting Lawson-Remer Supervisor 2024 (FPPC 1460930 — same cmte# as Steppe 2023, renamed 6/30/2024). Source: Cal-Access F497.
Build Bridges Not Walls: Opposing Republican Kristin Gaspar for Supervisor 2020
$185,000
Build Bridges Not Walls IE committee (funded by SEIU 221 IE PAC, United Domestic Workers IE PAC, SEIU UHWW PAC) raised $185K in H2 2019 opposing Gaspar in D3 (indirectly supporting Lawson-Remer). Had $200K cash-on-hand Jan 2020. Spent $75K digital ads, $31K polling. This is SEPARATE from the Laborers 89 IE committee ($325K, connection 3023) — multiple IE committees supported Lawson-Remer simultaneously.
San Diego Working Families Supporting Lawson-Remer for Supervisor 2024
$154,101
Independent expenditure SUPPORTING Terra Lawson-Remer (SD County Supervisor D3, 2024) by San Diego Working Families IE committee (Laborers Local 89-sponsored). Mail/graphic design; sub-vendors itemized on Schedule G.
San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council AFL-CIO
$105,000
SD-Imperial Counties Labor Council AFL-CIO (org 14) sponsored IE committee "San Diegans for Honest Leadership" (org 1055) raising $105K to oppose Faulconer (indirectly supporting Lawson-Remer). Type: independent expenditure.
Southern California District Council of Laborers PAC
$100,000
Southern California District Council of Laborers PAC (FPPC 1358150) contributed $100K on 9/25/2024 to the LIUNA-sponsored IE supporting Lawson-Remer Supervisor 2024 (FPPC 1460930 — same cmte# as Steppe 2023, renamed 6/30/2024). Source: Cal-Access F497.
AMERICAN FED OF STATE COUNTY & MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES (AFSCME)
$100,000
American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME AFL-CIO MPO, FPPC 745604) contributed $100K on 9/26/2024 to the LIUNA-sponsored IE supporting Lawson-Remer Supervisor 2024 (FPPC 1460930). Same cmte# previously backed Steppe 2023 with $215K from AFSCME. Source: Cal-Access F497.
FM3 Research
$89,000
FM3 Research polling contract: initial $49K May 2025; total spending $89K to date per KPBS (2026-03-24); contract ceiling up to $250K. Used for June 2025 revenue-measures survey and November 2026 charter-governance reform survey. Election-law attorney Jim Sutton publicly alleges that survey questions "cross the lines" by being "solely designed to develop the communications which will be sent to voters during the campaign" — alleged misuse of county funds.
San Diego County Democratic Party
$65,000
San Diego County Democratic Party donated $65,000 to Lawson-Remer re-election campaign (largest traditional donor)
SEIU LOCAL 221 PAC - SCC
$55,000
SEIU Local 221 PAC (Cal-Access filer 1298154) contributed $55,000 in the 2020 D3 Supervisor cycle to the LIUNA Local 89-sponsored independent-expenditure committee "Friends of Terra" (filer 1414854) supporting Lawson-Remer: $30,000 (6/12/2019) + $25,000 (10/9/2019). Reported on Schedule D/E of SEIU 221 PAC F460 (same tran ids, not double-counted). This is SEIU 221's 2020-cycle support channel for Lawson-Remer, parallel to its $25K 2024 contribution to the LIUNA "SD Working Families Supporting Lawson-Remer 2024" IE (conn 180329). Together: $80K traceable SEIU 221 support for Lawson-Remer. Source: Cal-Access bulk EXPN_CD.
SAN DIEGANS FOR FULL VOTER PARTICIPATION, SPONSORED BY SEIU LOCAL 221 PAC
$25,000
Services Employees International Union Local 221 Independent Expenditure PAC (FPPC 1298155) contributed $25K on 8/20/2024 to the LIUNA-sponsored IE supporting Lawson-Remer Supervisor 2024 (FPPC 1460930). Source: Cal-Access F497.
Singleton Schreiber, LLP
$25,000
Singleton Schreiber LLP (FPPC 1444233) contributed $25K on 10/18/2024 to the LIUNA-sponsored IE supporting Lawson-Remer Supervisor 2024 (FPPC 1460930). Plaintiff law firm; same firm also gave $25K to the IE during its Steppe 2023 cycle (R3 conn). Source: Cal-Access F497.
NUHW COMMITTEE FOR QUALITY PATIENT CARE & UNION DEMOCRACY FEDERAL PAC
$10,000
National Union of Healthcare Workers Candidate Committee for Quality Patient Care and Union Democracy (FPPC 1318200) contributed $10K on 10/3/2024 to the LIUNA-sponsored IE supporting Lawson-Remer Supervisor 2024 (FPPC 1460930). Source: Cal-Access F497.
CASEY GERRY SCHENK FRANCAVILLA BLATT & PENFIELD, LLP
$5,000
Casey Gerry Reed & Schenk LLP / Casey Gerry Schenk Francavilla Blatt & Penfield LLP (FPPC 1010598) contributed $5K on 10/25/2024 to the LIUNA-sponsored IE supporting Lawson-Remer Supervisor 2024 (FPPC 1460930). Plaintiff law firm. Same firm also gave to Steppe 2023 IE (R3 conn). Source: Cal-Access F497.
Hasan Ikhrata
$850
SANDAG Executive Director Hasan Ikhrata donated max $850 to Lawson-Remer after March 2020 primary. Raised ethical concerns about nonpartisan agency head taking sides.
UNITE HERE Local 30
UNITE HERE Local 30 (hotel/restaurant workers, led by Brigette Browning) endorsed Lawson-Remer through SD-Imperial Counties Labor Council umbrella endorsement. Browning coordinates endorsements across 136 unions.
Summer Stephan
DA Stephan publicly accused county leadership of (1) failing checks and balances on contracts, (2) awarding second contract to HRCSD after audit flagged problems and Knox conviction discovered, (3) NOT referring criminal activity to DA when contract terminated — breaking from prior Board practice. (4) County staff "seemed fearful" of cooperating with DA investigation. (5) Employees left with "agreements to be silent." DA investigation is ongoing — "to determine how this malfeasance occurred, why it was allowed to continue." NOTE: Stephan did not name individual supervisors, but Lawson-Remer chairs the Board and has been chair during the period in question.
Amplify Campaigns
Amplify Campaigns included as sub-contractor in Ironwood-led $320K county contract. Amplify tasked with drafting ballot measure language, polling support, and community engagement. KEY: Amplify also ran IE campaigns for Lawson-Remer (via Laborers 89 "San Diego Working Families" committee) in 2024 and for Gloria (via Laborers 89 in 2020). This means the same firm that ran pro-Lawson-Remer IE campaigns is now being paid by her subcommittee for sales tax research.
Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego
OVERSIGHT CONTEXT: Same day as Partnership to Protect SD vote (Nov 18, 2025), Board also created contract scrutiny subcommittee (Aguirre/Anderson) to review $2.2B in annual contract spending. Desmond objected subcommittees "largely work outside of public view" and are not transparent enough. Later, DA Stephan accused county of "effort to remove checks and balances" on contracts. Pattern: Lawson-Remer pushed $36M Partnership through MOU bypassing future board votes ON SAME DAY as contract oversight was being discussed.
SEIU LOCAL 221 PAC - SCC
SEIU 221 publicly supported Lawson-Remer fiscal subcommittee creation (Sept 30, 2025 BOS vote). SEIU members spoke at public comment in favor. Lawson-Remer immediately endorsed SEIU-led citizen sales tax initiative (Dec 12, 2025). VOSD noted Lawson-Remer "eager to see citizens group push a measure forward that only requires a simple majority." Both pursuing parallel sales tax tracks — county (via subcommittee) and citizen (via SEIU coalition). Coalition shared polling intel.
Harm Reduction Coalition of San Diego
DA Stephan press release (Feb 2026): "When the county terminated the contract, there was no referral for criminal investigation to the DA's Public Corruption Unit, as has been done by Board leadership in prior instances of suspected malfeasance." Lawson-Remer was Board Chair during contract termination (Jun 2025). DA implies Board leadership (Lawson-Remer) broke with precedent by not referring suspected malfeasance for criminal investigation.
San Diego Building and Construction Trades Council
San Diego County Building and Construction Trades Council endorsed Lawson-Remer for re-election 2024. Building Trades represents 22 affiliated construction/trade unions and 35,000+ workers. Listed as KEY CAMPAIGN on endorsements page.
San Diego County Sales Tax Coalition (SEIU 221-led)
SEIU 221 citizen sales tax coalition and county-funded subcommittee "shared some intel" per VOSD reporting. Lawson-Remer endorsed citizen initiative Dec 12, 2025, after her subcommittee authorized $500K for same consultants.
Jim Desmond
Supervisor Jim Desmond formally opposes Lawson-Remer fiscal subcommittee tax proposals. Brings board item "Fighting the Rising Cost of Living by Opposing Unjust New Taxes." Lists 5+ tax mechanisms being developed by subcommittee: half-cent sales tax, transfer tax (5,000% increase), payroll tax, unknown mechanisms. Calls county approach a "cost-of-living problem" not "revenue problem." Also references subcommittee operating "out of view of the public."
Monica Montgomery Steppe
Lawson-Remer (Chair) and Montgomery Steppe (Vice Chair) co-lead Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Sustainable Fiscal Planning that has operated without public agendas or minutes since creation Sept 30, 2025. VOSD: "County Supervisor Wants to Shine Spotlight on Secret Subcommittees." UT: subcommittee "operates out of view of the public." Legal analysis suggests subcommittee meets criteria for "standing committee" under Brown Act (Gov Code 54952(b)) due to: (1) created by formal board vote, (2) continuing subject matter jurisdiction over fiscal policy, (3) regular meetings since Oct 2025, (4) $500K budget with hired consultants. Potential Brown Act violation for failure to post agendas (Gov Code 54954.2) and permit public comment (54954.3(a)).
SEIU LOCAL 221 PAC - SCC
SEIU Local 221 endorsed Lawson-Remer for District 3 Supervisor in June 2019, very early in the race. SEIU 221 president David Garcias praised her track record. This was one of the earliest major labor endorsements. Notable because Lawson-Remer had a pre-existing professional relationship with SEIU through her Catalyze consulting firm.
San Diego Building and Construction Trades Council
Lawson-Remer co-authored the Working Families Ordinance (with Fletcher) requiring prevailing wages and skilled/trained workforce on county construction projects over $1M. Directly benefits Building Trades member unions. Passed 3-2 on Feb 8, 2022.
Laborers International Union Local 89
Laborers International Union Local 89 endorsed Lawson-Remer for D3 supervisor
Summer Stephan
Stephan publicly criticized Board Chair Lawson-Remer (D, Dist 3) at Feb 18, 2026 HRCSD press conference — "checks and balances failed or were overruled," county had "culture of fear," employees signed "agreements to be silent." Then May 15, 2026 publicly opposed Lawson-Remer's charter reform package. Pattern: DA using press platform to attack one specific Democratic supervisor while NOT actually charging any county official 3 months into "ongoing investigation."
[R2 UPDATE 2026-05-17] May 1-15, 2026 SDDA newsroom snapshot confirms: in the run-up to and including Stephan's May 15, 2026 charter-reform attack on Lawson-Remer, SDDA published zero HRCSD/Knox/county-officials press releases. The bully-pulpit attack on Lawson-Remer was not paired with any charging action that would substantiate the implicit county-corruption framing.
Monica Montgomery Steppe
Steppe + Lawson-Remer voted together as the two NO-on-delay votes on the Oct 8 2024 Tijuana River Valley Superfund delay motion — both standing apart from Chair Vargas's Republican coalition. Vote-bloc pattern consistent with evidence 24421 (Anderson/Desmond resolutions consistently defeated 3-2 by the Steppe/Lawson-Remer/Aguirre bloc), but in this case Steppe + Lawson-Remer were the MINORITY because Chair Vargas joined the Rs. Per evidence 25664.
Kelly Martinez
Policy disagreement: Lawson-Remer (Vice Chair, yes vote) co-sponsored the Dec 10 2024 sanctuary ordinance Martinez refused to follow as binding department policy.
Amplify Campaigns
Amplify Campaigns listed Lawson-Remer (Independent Expenditure) as a notable San Diego client on its firm home page (captured 2026-05-17). Same firm simultaneously listed Stephan as client — cross-aisle vendor pattern; Stephan publicly attacked Lawson-Remer in 2026 in three documented adversarial events while the same consultant runs both campaigns' political work.
SEIU LOCAL 221 PAC - SCC
SEIU Local 221 (largest SD County employee union) endorsed Lawson-Remer for D3 supervisor
Midway Rising LLC
County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously May 1, 2024 (proposed by Lawson-Remer) to explore EIFD partnership with city for Midway Rising. County would forgo its share of future property tax increment above a baseline year. Board also directed staff to investigate RHNA credit-sharing model for affordable housing units. The comparable Otay Mesa EIFD (also analyzed by KMA) was projected to generate $900M-$970M over its lifetime. No public projections exist for the Midway EIFD, but the $3.9B development could generate proportionally significant tax increment.
SEIU LOCAL 221 PAC - SCC
SEIU Local 221 endorsed Lawson-Remer June 2019. UT describes SEIU Local 221 as "closely allied with Democratic supervisors and a major financial booster of their political campaigns." SEIU-led coalition now pushing half-cent sales tax ballot measure alongside county's own tax exploration led by Lawson-Remer subcommittee.
San Diego Economic Development Corp
County Board of Supervisors (proposed by Lawson-Remer) voted unanimously to study participating in Midway Rising EIFD, meaning county would also forgo its share of future property tax increment for the project
Amplify Campaigns
Amplify Campaigns attached to $320K Ironwood contract for sales tax measure research. Amplify is prominent local campaign consulting firm that worked for Aguirre/Stephan campaigns. Previously had $383K Sheriff contract.
Catalyze (research firm)
Lawson-Remer founded and was managing partner of Catalyze, a research/strategy firm. Before entering politics, Catalyze developed policies and social change strategies for SEIU, UN, and Open Society Foundations.
Dan Rottenstreich
Dan Rottenstreich (Amplify Campaigns) claims on his website he "led the labor coalition that won the first-in-a-generation Democratic majority on the Board of Supervisors" in 2020. Lawson-Remer's D3 win was the pivotal race creating that majority. Rottenstreich simultaneously ran the Laborers 89 IE committee for Gloria's mayoral race. His wife Brigette Browning leads the Labor Council which spent $105K IE for Lawson-Remer. Rottenstreich is now attached to the $320K Ironwood county sales tax contract for Lawson-Remer's subcommittee.
Brigette Browning
DISCLOSURE PATTERN: Brigette Browning (Labor Council president) has a documented pattern of advocating for positions that benefit her husband Dan Rottenstreich's consulting clients without disclosing the conflict. (1) MIDWAY RISING (2022): Testified before City Council urging selection of Midway Rising; failed to disclose husband's $203K contract with Midway Rising/Zephyr. Ethics Commission fined Midway Rising only $5K for late lobbying disclosures. (2) LAWSON-REMER IE (2024): Labor Council spent $105K IE opposing Faulconer/supporting Lawson-Remer while husband had led the labor coalition that elected Lawson-Remer in 2020 and his firm Amplify now holds $320K county sales tax contract awarded by Lawson-Remer's subcommittee. Browning also has not filed DOL Form LM-30 disclosing husband's income from entities she has advocated for, which is a federal reporting requirement for union officials with conflicts of interest.
Investigations
San Diego County Board of Supervisors: A Primer Published
Structural primer for the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. Explains the five-district geographic structure under CA Government Code §25000 et seq, the 3-of-5 majority on an $8-billion budget, the Board's hire/fire power over the Chief Administrative Officer, and the two-term limit added by county voters in 2010 (Measure B).
The $36 Million Handshake Published
The Empty Drawer: How San Diego County Supervisors Stopped Filing and Stopped Watching Published
On Saturday The Library Is Closed: How San Diego Chose The Budget Crisis Published
The Supervisors Published
Eight billion dollars. Five seats. The donors know your supervisor's name.
The Secret Subcommittee Published
Since September 30, 2025, Supervisors Lawson-Remer and Montgomery Steppe have co-led an Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Sustainable Fiscal Planning that has met without posting public agendas or minutes. In that time it has produced a $320,000 sole-bidder polling contract, a cancelled lobbyist solicitation seeking a 55-fold increase in transfer-tax authority, and the framework for a 3-2 procedural vote authorizing $56 million in reserves spending. Two newsrooms (VOSD, U-T) have flagged the panel as operating "out of view of the public." This report does not adjudicate the Brown Act question. It documents what the records show.
The Gloria Machine Published
The machine changes party but not behavior: the same lobbyists and developers, now operating through Democratic officeholders.
The Meetings You Can't Attend Published
The Gap in the Shape of a Marriage Published