SAN DIEGO — Nathan Fletcher's state senate website was still up Friday and taking donations despite Fletcher's pulling out of the race.
Editor's note: Sometime after the initial airing of this story, the website, nathanfletcher.com was taken down.
Fletcher resigned from the county board of supervisors following sexual harassment allegations and has suspended his senate campaign. As politicians scramble to find Fletcher's replacement, questions swirl about Fletcher's campaign website and the donated money.
"To suspend a campaign is a process,” Lori Saldana advised. “Through the registrar of voters, you can fill out paperwork saying you're suspending a campaign, and there are papers that have to be filed as a part of that." Saldana ran against Nathan Fletcher in 2018 for the county supervisor seat – Fletcher ultimately won. Saldana says suspending a campaign and its’ website can take some time. "You're not under any timelines,” Saldana offered.
“Some people return the money to their contributors. Others roll it into a separate account. He will probably need to reach out to his contributors as quickly as possible, take this offline, and let people know that the money will sit there until he satisfies any bills and vendors working on his behalf," Saldana continued.
According to the California Secretary of State's website, Nathan Fletcher has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in his bid for the state senate. CBS 8 asked Saldana, "Do you think any of those contributors will feel slighted in some shape, form, or fashion after contributing?” Saldana replied, "A very small percentage of people give to political campaigns. And most of those are fairly wealthy or well-to-do and probably won't miss a few hundred or thousand dollars. And they may not expect to get it back because they understand there's always a cost to campaigning."
Endorsements listed on Fletcher’s campaign website, like that of Mayor of Lemon Grove, Racquel Vasquez, are now statements to CBS 8 that read, "I am aware of the alarming allegations against Supervisor Fletcher and recognize the severity and seriousness of the claims. The future legal proceeding will help uncover the truth and find a resolution for all parties involved.”
Saldana says what's most important right now are Fletcher’s constituents in the communities he serves, "The most important thing for them is that they have representation as soon as possible."
Lori Saldana says she is not currently seeking Fletcher’s Board of Supervisors seat. However, she is considering it.
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