How Magdalena Carrasco Killed Xavier Campos’ Political Career

Magdalena Carrasco stunned everyone by mollywhopping Xavier Campos in last week’s election rematch, but the newest San Jose councilmember-elect didn’t do it alone. In fact, one could argue she barely did it herself. Carrasco, who has three kids at home, rarely walked door-to-door and her campaign sent out just a handful of mailers during the race. Meanwhile, a source tells Fly, an independent expenditure committee sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Police plopped down more than $100,000 on almost 20 mailers, some supporting Carrasco and others bashing Baby X. It certainly helped that East Side was in turn-out-for-what mode, as District 5 had the lowest vote total among all council races. But a closer look at Carrasco’s backers appears to show ex-hubby and State Senator Kevin de León was pulling some strings. Back in 2010, Carrasco hired de León’s close advisor, Encino-based John Shallman, to help her against Campos—a strategy ex-supervisor George Shirakawa Jr. must’ve laughed at as he sent out bogus, DNA-laced mailers (allegedly) on Campos’ behalf to help steal the election. But in this race, Shallman Communications, now known as West Coast Public Affairs, reeled in the dough sending mail for the Frat police rather than Carrasco. Carrasco told Fly she knew nothing of his involvement in this race—only that de León introduced her to Shallman four years ago. Also out of the ordinary, a group called Neighborhood Empowerment Coalition gave the Frat attack group $39,000 just a week before the election, but no other records for the coalition exists on the Secretary of State website. Adding just a dash more WTF, Carrasco said she’s open to reconciling with the South Bay Labor Council, which called her out for “Shirakawa” tactics just last month (the story has been removed while the link survives), if they can drop their “intense grudges.”

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated that Kevin de León and John Shallman may have had a business connection beyond their past client-consultant relationship. San Jose Inside regrets the error.

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9 Comments

  1. Niether Carrasco or her “X” or her followers “killed” Councilmember Campos’ career.

    The voters of D5 “Voted” for a change.

    Too bad there wasn’t much of a canidate pool for D5 voters to chose from.

    Let us see if the “candidate elect” answers up to the issue raised by “The Fly” concerning her “X” being paid and convienent laspes of memory.

    Is the alleged “shadiness” of D5 politics over with?

    Not hardly.

    Good reporting and document sluthing by….”The Fly.”

    David S. Wall

    • What is it that there is to explain? PAC’s in elections are the new big thing or haven’t you heard? Its the perfectly legal way to back your candidate. Just ask Cindy Chavez and the labor group. To liken legal PAC involvement to the criminal mailers that Shirakawa sents on Campos’ behalf is completely misleading. He stole the identity by using the Carrasco mailing ID and they misrepresented who they were from. The support Carrasco received by the PAC, known or unknown is completely legal.

  2. Why would the Fraternal Order of Police take an interest supporting Carrasco and bashing Campos? The FOP doesn’t represent the police officers for the City’s police department SJPOA does. Who does the FOP represent? and what would they gain form Carrasco that Campos didn’t/can’t/won’t deliver? Honesty? Integrity? We want that and should demand that from all our politicians. So what is it that the FOP gains with Carrasco? Stay tuned…

    • I understand they are backing Cortese and working with another COP turned politician. Hope that one doesn’t turn out like the last one endorsed by SJPOA. (x2) I really enjoyed seeing his face (PETE) on the Sheriffs voter pamphlet. Guess that wasn’t enough for SJPOA to endorse the DOC an DSA candidate. Wonder what is the SJPOA gains with Smith? Stay Tuned………….

  3. 1. Greg Crummitt of Long Beach served as the treasurer to the “independent expenditure committee.” Crummitt also served as treasurer to the NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT COALITION, in violation of the law which does not allow one person to control two committees.

    2. Carrasco HIRED Shallman Communications in 2010. Shallman is associated with K. Durkee, who is now subject to many FPPC investigations. The Silicon Valley Fraternal Order of Police :”independent expenditure committee” hired WEST COAST PUBLIC AFFAIRS, run by Shallman and his wife. Clearly they knew. De Leon’s consultant is JOHN SHALLMAN. The law only requires proof of INDIRECT COMMUNICATION. There was plenty.

    3. The Fraternal Order of Police has WAL MART as an advertiser. Both Shallman and Jude Barry, known allies of Carrasco, HAVE WAL MART CONNECTIONS. Barry and Shallman are connected through ties to statewide blogs, and know Carrasco

    4. Carrasco, De Leon, Crummitt, Shallman, and this independent committee will soon be subject to an ethics complaint and a complaint sent to the FPPC.

    5. Carrasco made hay of independent efforts to end her career, and now as it starts, she used the same sleazy tactics.

    6. Shallman has a long history of using independent committees, which by law, must be independent of consultant coordination.

  4. PACs that are “independent” of the candidate cannot be indirectly or directly associated with a candidate.

    Magadelena Carrasco will be subject of a campaign ethics complaint to be filed Tuesday.

    a. Shallman Communications worked for Carrasco in 2010.

    b. West Coast Public Affairs is operated by John Shallman, a noted Southern California consultant involved in many games of dirty pool.

    c. West Coast Public Affairs operated the independent expenditure committee with Greg Crummitt as the treasurer, and the committee was funded by the Neighborhood Empowerment Committee which is controlled by Crummitt, no treasurer can control two committees funding each other.

    Carrasco De Leon, Bobby Lopez, Shallman, and Crummitt will be listed in the complaint.

    A complaint will also be filed with FPPC

    Question is will Jude Barry?

    Barry is connected with Wal Mart which also has a connection to West Coast Public Affairs, and Wal Mart has a relationship with Bobby Lopez

    All the toxins put in the mud by Carrasco will be leeched out Tuesday

  5. Wait! Hold It ! Javier Compost, did not have a political career, EVER. Reed need him at the time.
    Carrasco is a fresh face, in a swamp of slime and institutionalised political control.
    Change is in the summer winds. Nepotisium, back room deals are so visible, when we challenge, these rats, that only work deals at night. THE NIGHT RIDERS. That is who we are .
    The REP? If these lips would talk about the inception.

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