No, unions have contributed 20% of total donations to Yes on Recall. By contrast, 71% of the donations to No on Recall are from outside of OUSD per self-reported addresses. This includes the Lincoln Club of Orange County drawing almost entirely from South OC, which has donated more to No on Recall than the unions have donated to Yes on Recall.
How much has Yes on Recall raised?
The total donations to OUSD Yes on Recall have been $283,300.44 not including donors of less than $100. This data is as of February 27, 2024. Source below.
How many donors have given money to Yes on Recall? How many donors have given money to No on Recall?
The total number of unique donors over $100 to Yes on Recall has been 445.
The total number of unique donors over $100 to No on Recall has been 125.
Some statistical comparisons are below.
| Comparison of Donation Between Yes and No Campaigns | Yes on Recall | No on Recall |
|---|---|---|
| Total Unique Donors More than $100 | 445 | 125 |
| Donors $1,000+ Inside the District (Per Listed Address) | 44 | 12 |
| Donations Outside the District (By Dollars, Per Listed Address) | 27.5% | 71% |
| Largest Donor as a Portion of Total | 20.7% (All Unions) | 30.1% (Lincoln Club of OC) |
Total Union Donations to OUSD
| Yes on Recall Union Donations | Monetary and Non-Monetary Contributions |
| Orange Unified Education Association | $58,636.46 |
| Tustin Education Association | $1,500.00 |
| Association of Placentia-Linda Educators | $1,000.00 |
| Westminster Teachers PAC For Education | $750.00 |
| SVEA (Saddleback Valley Educators Association) Teachers Political Action Committee | $1,000.00 |
| HOPE – CUEA (Capistrano Unified Education Association) | $1,000.00 |
| Anaheim Educators Candidate PAC | $1,000.00 |
| Total Union Donations | $64,886.46 |
| Total Union and Non-Union Donations | More than $283,300.44 |
| Unions as Percentage of Total | 20.7% |
Are the unions funding a majority of Yes on Recall?
No, not even close. Given the total donations by non-union sources of $258,504.18 to Yes on Recall, the unions would need to donate more a staggering $230,704.22 to become 50% of the total donations, assuming no further non-union donations. These numbers are so preposterous in comparison to the donations thus far that it is safe to conclude that Yes on Recall is not and never will be primarily funded by unions.
Did the teachers’ unions donate more in the past to OUSD elections?
Yes, in the 2001 OUSD Recall, the LA Times reported that: “The state and local teachers unions…helped raise more than half of the $85,000 spent to oust the three members in June [2001]….”
What have Rick Ledesma and Madison Miner said about the union donations to Yes on Recall?
On January 15, 2024, Rick Ledesma and Madison Miner penned a joint opinion piece in the Orange County Register stating:
According to the executive director of OUEA, the union representing OUSD, the California Teachers Association views what is happening in Orange as a “pilot” of sorts for the rest of the state.
Then, Madison Miner explained her understanding of union financing motivations, taking the issue one step further:
“The California Teachers Association repesentative for Orange Unified Education Association” is “saying if they’re successful, this is the launching point…blueprint, gift wrap of how you can recall conservatives.”
Madison Miner on the Nicole Pearson Show at 0:40 to 1:26
Miner and Ledesma are referring to comments by Roger Urroz, whose video is online, who does not state that teachers’ unions are interested in recalling conservatives. Rather, he speaks to the far-right taking actions against teachers, stating as follows:
I’ve been in contact with the higher ups in CTA. The officers are aware of what is going on in Orange. They’re very concerned. They’re seeing it as Orange is the pilot if you will. If they can succeed here in Orange, then they may know they can go to other districts and do the same thing.
Roger Urroz, OUEA, Executive Director
OUSD Facts Truth-o-Meter: False as to Madison Miner
Madison’s claim that Yes on Recall is OUEA’s “blueprint…of how you can recall conservatives” is false. The video clearly shows the OUEA Executive Director speaking of how the far-right is using the takeover of the board and actions that the OUEA considers to be against their interests as a “pilot” of how the far-right would operate in the future.
How can this donation information be verified?
This data can be downloaded from the Orange County Registrar of Voters by searching for “Citizens for the Recall of Ledesma, Ortega, Miner and Rumsey,” ID Number 1458000. Scroll to the bottom and select “All Years” and click “Export All – Original and all amended versions of the transactions” to obtain an Excel spreadsheet of all data. Note that the donors less than $100 are not itemized.
Updated February 27, 2024.
