Gene MaddausFresh off the only scheduled debate in the attorney general's race, San Francisco D.A. Kamala Harris has released an ad attacking Republican rival Steve Cooley for accepting laundered campaign contributions from a convicted felon.
The ad cites this L.A. Weekly story from August, which reported that Cooley accepted contributions from ex-con Gladwin Gill and several employees of Gill's hospice agency. Some of those same employees were cited as phony contributors in a federal campaign money laundering case, for which Gill is currently serving time.
But Gill was never investigated for making the same kinds of contributions to Cooley, though Cooley's office has charged others with the same offense.
Cooley's campaign said that the D.A. would have investigated Gill had a complaint been filed, but that the statute of limitations has now expired.
The ad responds: “That's convenient.”
Cooley has a small but durable lead in most polls of the race. The Harris campaign issued its own poll this week claiming a 30-27 edge.
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.