The anti-Meg Whitman independent expenditure committee Level the Playing Field raised $228,681 between January 1 and March 17, well short of the $1 million that it said it had commitments for at its debut last month, according to a campaign finance report filed with the Secretary of State's office this afternoon.
The committee, run by veteran Democratic strategists such as Chris Lehane and Sean Clegg, had spent $202,386 in that period. The group has run radio ads and launched a Web site targeting Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman. The committee is not currently running any ads, although Clegg said it would start running a TV ad soon.
The committee received $100,000 from the California Nurses Association and another $100,000 from the California Faculty Association. Campaign manager Clegg said he expected another $200,000 in contributions to come in from a painters' union.
Clegg said some unions were hesitant to contribute to the committee for fear that Whitman, the billionaire former CEO of online auction firm eBay, would retaliate by funding a ballot initiative requiring unions win the permission of members to use their dues on political activities.
The Whitman campaign had not yet responded to the allegation early Monday night. The full name of the committee is Level the Playing Field 2010 Against Billionaire Meg Whitman for Governor, a Coalition of Nurses, Faculty and Painters Organizations.
"We're off to a solid start," Clegg said. "We're looking at this as a marathon not a sprint."
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