I heard from City Councilwoman Donna Frye on Friday. Signaling a widening chasm between her and labor leaders in town, she said she was upset by a recent mailer sent out by the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council, which she said implies that she endorses Scott Peters’ bid for city attorney.
I got a fax copy of the mailer but it didn’t come through very well. It’s touted as a four-page pat on the bum and thank you to the Democratic members of the City Council. But Peters, the council’s president, is featured big on the front page and the Labor Council obviously is using it to pump up his campaign.
He’s the one we’re meant to thank.
Frye isn’t flattered.
“It gives the false impression that I am endorsing Scott Peters for city attorney and that’s absolutely false and extremely offensive,” Frye said. “I’m getting phone calls from people asking about it and I don’t appreciate it.”
Frye said she doesn’t plan to endorse any candidate in the city attorney or mayor’s race.
Evan McLaughlin, the Labor Council’s political director and a former colleague of ours here at voiceofsandiego.org, said he doesn’t see how it gives the impression Frye backs Peters.
“The piece is centered on the update of the city’s General Plan and the purpose was to point out that the City Council does positive things for the city and we don’t think that message gets out. It was meant to congratulate them on dealing with the environment and dealing with jobs,” he said.
You might remember the debate the city had about language that would be included in the finalized growth plan for the city. The City Council faced down the mayor and forced language in the document with which unions and left-leaning activists were happy.
“It’s a policy wonk issue and it didn’t get as much attention as it should have,” McLaughlin said.
Hence the mailer.
But Frye wasn’t happy. Nobody called to let her know she’d be part of the campaign mailer.
“It just shows me that Scott Peters can’t stand on his own legitimately,” Frye said.
Update 9:11 a.m.: Here’s the mailer for your review and Lorena Gonzalez, the secretary treasurer of the Labor Council, already responded with a letter here.