OC residents give $6.2 million to support Prop. 8

October 22nd, 2008, 8:00 am · posted by BRIAN JOSEPH, Sacramento Correspondent
Orange County residents have contributed more than $6.2 million to support Proposition 8, according to new data I gathered.

We knew area residents strongly supported the gay marriage ban back in September, when we first looked at the campaign finance records. Well, I just updated the numbers through Oct. 9 and found that support remains incredibly strong. (To search an updated database of campaign contributions both for and against the measure, click here.)

Orange County money accounts for nearly a quarter of of the $26.8 million raised in support of Prop. 8, which would amend the state constitution to specify that marriage is only between a man and a woman.

However, $1.4 million of Orange County’s money comes from the Santa Ana office of the National Organization for Marriage, a nonprofit organized for the sole purpose of fighting same-sex marriage. If you remove NOM’s contributions, Orange County’s share of the Yes money goes down to about 18 percent.

Whatever the case, only about $175,000 in local money went towards the no campaign, which took in about $20 million during the period.

The updated figures don’t include the most recent developments, such as Hollywood producer Steve Bing’s announcement that he’s contributing $500,000 to the no campaign or the $1 million contributed by the California Teachers’ Association to the no side. But campaigns are expected to submit new, comprehensive reports by the end of this week, when we’ll update the figures again.

But in the meantime, check out our database (click on link below) and see who’s giving. I recommend looking for Hollywood actors — Brad Pitt gave $100,00 to the no campaign — or checking out Orange County’s biggest contributors.

They include Fieldstead & Co. ($900,000), the personal foundation of Home Savings heir Howard Fieldstead Ahmanson and his wife, Roberta Green Ahmanson; Former state senator Robert Hurtt Jr. ($275,000); the Evangelical Christian Credit Union (ECCU) in Brea ($100,000); healthcare executives Donald G. Laws and Steve Samuelian ($100,000 each); and MHI Real Company (oil mining) president Larry Smith ($75,646.18). All of them support Prop. 8.