Royal Gorge Developer Gives Money to Placer County Supervisor Bruce Kranz and Other Republicans to Develop Royal Gorge Cross County Ski Resort

Political Contributions by Foster/Syme
Foster/Syme, Royal Gorge LLC, the proponents of the 'conservation' community of green buildings have made the following donations to political campaigns:
Summary for 2006 election:

The Superior California Federal Leadership Fund is the PAC that Rep John Doolittle (R) runs, and was under investigation by federal authorities. Dolittle's wife receives 15% from the fund which, in community property California, means Dolittle could be getting improper campaign donations. Doolittle has since resigned from most all of his federal committee posts, has become somewhat of a pariah in the republican party, and will not be seeking re-election in 2008. (Foster/Syme donations to this PAC in 2006- $7,500)
Richard Pombo (R), who ended up being defeated in the 2006 election, was on the House Resources Committee and was a zealous advocate of major environmental rollbacks -- among them, weakening the Endangered Species Act, drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the outer continental shelf, selling off national parks and monuments, and changing mining law to allow thousands or even millions of acres of public land to be transferred into private hands. He was the Congressman for the central valley and did not represent the Summit, nor the areas where Foster/Syme live. (Foster/Syme donations in 2006 - $4,200)

Congressman John Doolittle (R) was the representative for the summit area. The League of Conservation Voters gave him a 0% rating on environmental issues, he forced the sale of Homewood Ski area on Lake Tahoe to developers rather than allowing it to revert to the Forest Service by slipping in an addendum to an unrelated bill, and currently has stepped down from the House Appropriations Committee due to ongoing investigations of his campaign practices and close ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramhof. He is the representative where Foster/Syme want to build but not where they live. (Foster/Syme donations to Doolittle campaign in 2006- $5,980)

State Senator Dave Cox (R) is the State Senator (1st district) for the summit. (Foster/Syme donations in 2006- $1,650)

Assemblyman Rick Keene (R) is the State Assemblyman (3rd district) for the summit area west of Soda Springs Rd (where 'Lake Camp' and 'Wilderness Camp' and associated homesites are proposed). (Foster/Syme donations in 2006- $1,650)

Assemblyman Ted Gaines (R) is the State Assemblyman (4th district) for the summit area east of Soda Springs Rd (where 'Ski Camp' and 'Summit Camp' and associated homesites are proposed). (Foster/Syme donations 2006- $1,650, 2007-8 $3,600)

Bruce Kranz (R) is the supervisor for district 5 (the Placer County side of the summit) of Placer County. He is the representative where Foster/Syme want to build but not where they live. Placer County will be the agency that will decide what development Foster/Syme can do. Kranz was unable to win a majority (he came in second) in the 2008 primary for the 5th district seat and will face a runoff with Jennifer Montgomery (she received the most votes) a local Serene Lakes homeowner. (Foster/Syme donations to Kranz- $10,000 in 2006 plus another $10,000 in 2007-08)

Ted Owens (R) is the supervisor for district 5 (the Nevada County side of the summit) of Nevada County. He is the representative where some of what Foster/Syme want to build (and where the summit's sewer plant is), but not where they live. Nevada County does not publish campaign donations so we don't know how much Royal Gorge has contributed.

Details:

Contributor: 2006 Contributions: Amount: Contribution to: 2007-8 contributions
Syme 9/22/06 $2,500 Superior California Federal Leadership Fund
Syme 9/30/06 $2,000 Congressman John Doolittle
Syme 10/25/06 $1,100 Richard Pombo
Foster 9/22/06 $5,000 Superior California Federal Leadership Fund
Foster 10/25/06 $1,100 Richard Pombo
Foster 10/24/06 $990 Congressman Doolittle
Royal Gorge LLC 10/25/06 $2,000 Richard Pombo
Royal Gorge LLC 9/30/06 $2,000 Congressman Doolittle
Royal Gorge LLC 10/24/06 $990 Congressman Doolittle
Royal Gorge LLC 10/12/06 $1,650 State Senator Dave Cox
Royal Gorge LLC 10/5/06 $1,650 Assemblyman Rick Keene
Royal Gorge LLC 2/17/06 $1,650 Assemblyman Ted Gaines another $1,800 on 3/6/07
Royal Gorge LLC Assemblyman Ted Gaines another $1,800 on 1/18/08
Royal Gorge LLC 10/5/06 $5,000 Supervisor Kranz another $5,000 3/29/07
Royal Gorge LLC 12/30/06 $5,000 Supervisor Kranz another $5,000 1/24/08

total $32,630 in 2006 $13,600 in 2007-8

The maximum personal donation to a federal candidate is $2,300, and the maximum personal donation to a PAC is $5000.

Our search did not reveal any other donations to federal candidates by Foster/Syme/Royal Gorge LLC in 2006.

Information on contributions to federal candidates available from http://www.fec.gov/disclosure.shtml and information on contributions to State candidates available from http://cal-access.ss.ca.gov/Campaign/Candidates/. County information was not available online but Placer County recently added http://www.placer.ca.gov/Departments/Recorder/Elections/Campaign%20Disclosure.aspx which contains the campaign contribution filings.

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