The McConnell Foundation is a private, non-partisan organization, and is by law prohibited from contributing to, or endorsing candidates or initiatives in public elections. The Foundation has never contributed to any political candidate or recall campaign. Federal rules also make it clear that McConnell Foundation staff or board members are free to make political contributions with their own funds.
A campaign commercial paid for by the Shasta General Purpose Committee falsely stated that the Foundation “is linked to donating thousands of dollars to [Leonard] Moty’s campaign.” Separately, a Red, White and Blueprint episode included a segment where Board of Supervisor Patrick Jones makes two false statements: (1) that the Foundation is donating to Leonard Moty’s campaign; and (2) that the Foundation has “spiked water contracts every time there’s a drought.”
As previously stated, the Foundation has never contributed to ANY political campaign.
As for the water sale accusation, the Foundation inherited a water right from founder Leah McConnell. Through an agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation, the Foundation can sell the water to users anywhere on the Sacramento River. Although the Foundation could sell the water at a higher rate elsewhere, it chooses to make the water available to first serve the needs of the water districts in Shasta County. Almost all of the water districts in Shasta County take advantage of the Foundation’s offer in drought years, because the availability of this water serves as a relief valve when their water allocations are cut and generates additional revenue for the water districts who choose to purchase water. Shasta County is involved in the purchase of water from the Foundation because the County has oversight responsibility over a few small water districts that are structured as County Service Areas under the County Service Area Law. Any contract for the purchase of water must be approved by the full Board of Supervisors and the Foundation’s water sales are handled by outside legal counsel. Mr. Jones’ statement that the Foundation “spiked’ the price in a drought year is false: the price sold to the water districts overseen by the County of Shasta is the same as in previous years, and with one exception, the lowest price for water sold by the Foundation to any water purveyor, in wet or dry years, in nearly a decade.
