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San Diego GOP insiders fear budget bust: Donors shy from Lincoln-Reagan Dinner

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San Diego GOP insiders fear budget bust: Donors shy from Lincoln-Reagan Dinner


Website promotion for San Diego GOP’s annual Lincoln-Reagan Dinner fundraiser. (Image via sandiegorepublicans.org)

Three weeks ago, the executive director of the San Diego County Republican Party shared upbeat news about the group’s critical annual fund-raiser.

San Diego GOP 2025 budget and selected emails. (PDF)
San Diego GOP 2025 budget and selected emails. (PDF)

“Planning for this year’s Lincoln-Reagan Dinner is going incredibly well,” Jacob Richards told Central Committee members via email. “And we’re on pace for a very impactful event!”

Others party members aren’t so positive.

Last Sunday, a GOP insider told Times of San Diego that “specific sponsors … have not and are unlikely to commit to a table” at the mid-June affair also being called “President Trump’s Golden Age Celebration Dinner.”

No-shows would include the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association, the San Diego Police Officers Association and the San Diego Association of Realtors.

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The insider, who asked not to be identified, said people who have donated as much as $20,000 to $50,000 in past years either have not been contacted or have not pledged.

“General entry” tickets go for $375 apiece.

Potential individual donors and the Realtors organization didn’t respond to requests for comment.

But a source familiar with police groups told me they weren’t aware of any law enforcement association taking part “now that [Assemblyman] Carl DeMaio has taken over” the local party. “They’re having a civil war over there.”

The result?

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The dinner that funds party operations and salaries for a year won’t raise its usual $600,000 to $750,000, the insider told me.

And a San Diego GOP budget obtained by Times of San Diego is counting on bringing in only $320,000 from an event that historically costs around $250,000 to stage.

(Also disappointing: The featured speaker won’t be a governor or U.S. senator like Ted Cruz, Kristi Noem or Rand Paul as in past years. Instead, the keynoter will be Republican National Committee co-chair KC Crosbie. “Almost the entire Central Committee had to look up who the speaker was because nobody knows who it is,” an insider told me.)

But Whitsell also is touting an appearance by Scott Presler, called “the gay face of the MAGA movement” who takes credit for “swinging Pennsylvania to Trump.”

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‘A powerful start’

The Lincoln-Reagan Dinner — set for June 14 at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina — has secured $354,000 in commitments and already collected $121,000, according to a May 8 email from executive director Richards.

“That’s a powerful start — but we’re not finished,” he wrote.

Only two days earlier, May 6, Central Committee member Brad Gerbel of Coronado emailed GOP leaders about the previous night’s Executive Committee meeting.

“The Chairwoman [Paula Whitsell] reported that the Party has received payment for only four tables [at the dinner] so far,” Gerbel wrote. “However, one Caucus Chair mentioned they have approximately $20,000 in checks at home, which, once deposited, should improve the current numbers. To date, the Party has made $25,000 in deposits to the Marriott.”

Gerbel, a former second vice chair of the San Diego GOP, reported that it was “stated that the Party currently has a six-figure balance in the bank. However, no clarification was given regarding how much of that amount consists of [Chula Vista Mayor John] McCann dollars in the Victory Fund [for his county supervisor campaign].

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“Transparency on this point is critical, as those funds are not available to cover general operating expenses,” he wrote. “Without this disclosure, there is a risk of misinterpreting the Party’s actual financial health.”

Gerbel cited other concerns not being discussed, including “ongoing Republican recall efforts in East County,” referring to a bid to oust El Cajon Councilman Phil Ortiz, a Republican.

‘Real party issues’

Gerbel, a financial officer for Coronado-based University Blanket & Flag Corp., also sent email May 5 titled “Addressing Real Party Issues.”

“One recurring concern I continue to hear is that the donor community has lost trust in the Party,” he wrote. “I have heard this not once, but repeatedly throughout this year.”

He said Victory Fund donors have “expressed reluctance to contribute due to concerns about the Party’s financial health. Their concerns need to be addressed.”

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Another issue important to Gerbel: the party’s lack of “Directors and Officers Insurance.”

San Diego County Republican Party chair Paula Whitsell in January 2024.
San Diego County Republican Party chair Paula Whitsell in January 2024. (File photo by Ken Stone/Times of San Diego)

In an April 15 email, Gerbel wrote: “Given our current financial state, it is unlikely that sufficient funds would be available to protect members in the event of a lawsuit. Without D&O insurance, individual members may face personal liability.”

The next day, staffer Richards confirmed via email that that the party’s insurance for directors and officers had lapsed.

“We became aware of this issue when we learned that our prior administration had not paid the premium for the policy,” he wrote. “The annual insurance premium of approximately $12,000 demands due consideration, especially given the precarious financial condition in which we found the party when we assumed the leadership in December.”

Richards said the local party’s cash position “was and remains well below our longstanding policy target, a circumstance we do not expect to remediate until after our Lincoln-Reagan Dinner fundraiser.”

But he noted that the party had no D&O coverage until 2021.

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“Until then it was the prevailing view among leadership that D&O insurance was not necessary. Be assured that no decision on the matter will be taken without briefing and soliciting the views of the Executive Committee after the Lincoln Reagan dinner,” Richards wrote.

Last Sunday, Gerbel confirmed that he had sent the quoted emails to members of the Central Committee.

“I am disappointed that they were shared with the media,” he said in response to my email query. “I am not going to make any further comments.”

According to the GOP’s undated party budget, 2025’s expected income was $837,200 with total expenses $886,200 — a shortfall of $49,000.

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Federal Election Commission records for Jan. 1 through April 30 show that the Republican Party of San Diego County had raised $162,811.99 and spent $144,345.58.

Cash on hand in late April: $52,336.53.

In late February, chair Whitsell reported “Good News!” — that some modest artifice yielded lower rent at the party’s Mission Valley offices at 3435 Camino del Rio South, Unit 114.

“As you may know, our prior lease was for $5,000 per month, the email said. “Our landlord had been insisting on an increase to $6,000, which was more than we were prepared to pay.

“In response we took a hardline position and made preparations to vacate the premises on March 1. The big clue to the landlord that we were serious came when we started moving our packed boxes off premises, to go into storage. That did the trick and negotiations resumed.”

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As a result, Whitsell said, “No rent payment will be due for the month of March and thereafter will be $4,250, a 15% reduction off the old rate. In addition, to take pressure off our cash flow while we recover from election season, our actual monthly payments for the remainder of 2025 will only be $3,150.”

The difference would be deferred until 2026, “with catch-up payments due in January and February,” she said. The savings would “enable us to come in under budget on that item for the remainder of the year.”

‘Landlord got the message’

The note to Central Committee members concluded: “Much thanks to all of the Members, staff and volunteers who helped pack and move boxes. It wasn’t a fire drill — the landlord got the message and we were able to do a bit of housecleaning in the process.”

However, my insider source told me this week that the party was still paying office rent of $4,250 a month.

“If the Party is indeed paying that,” the insider said, “it is far more than what was disclosed to the Central Committee and exceeds what was approved in the budget and what the Chairwoman disclosed to the Executive Committee.”

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Paula Whitsell, in her second stint as party chair, hasn’t responded to my requests for comment. Neither has executive director Richards.

On May 21, when Richards announced Crosbie as speaker (“a national leader in the conservative movement and a powerful voice for the grassroots”), his email said the Lincoln-Reagan Dinner was “shaping up to be a very successful event.”

“Thanks to your support,” he wrote, “we’ve already raised over $200,000 toward our fundraising goal, putting us well on track to surpass last year’s numbers and fuel key efforts to win elections across San Diego County.”

He added: “If you haven’t secured your table or ticket, now’s the time! We are selling out fast! Thank you for standing with us as we grow the movement and get ready to flip seats in 2026.”

His May 8 email also was encouraging.

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“Let’s keep up the pace and make this the most successful Lincoln-Reagan Dinner yet,” he wrote. “Together, we’re showing that San Diego is red, ready and rising.”



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Military bases in San Diego County increase security following Iran attacks

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Military bases in San Diego County increase security following Iran attacks


SAN DIEGO (CNS) – Military bases in San Diego County and nationwide have increased security measures due to last weekend’s U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, prompting traffic delays near base entrances, enhanced ID checks and access restrictions.

The Naval Air Station North Island on Coronado ports three aircraft carriers, including the San Diego-based USS Abraham Lincoln, which led some of the first-wave attacks on Saturday.

Naval Base Coronado warned motorists of possible traffic delays at all base entry points due to the increased security measures.

Targets included Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command and control facilities, Iranian air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and military airfields.

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The U.S. operation, dubbed “Epic Fury,” and Israeli operation, “Raging Lion,” began striking targets at 1:15 a.m. Eastern Time Saturday.

As of Tuesday, at least six U.S. service members had been killed in action.

The strikes also killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei, who had been Iran’s supreme leader since 1989, making him the longest-serving head of state in the Middle East.

Iran’s offensive forces claimed to have struck USS Abraham Lincoln with ballistic missiles, but according to an X post from U.S central Command, “The Lincoln was not hit. The missiles launched didn’t even come close. The Lincoln continues to launch aircraft in support of CENTCOM’s relentless campaign to defend the American people by eliminating threats from the Iranian regime.”

Those with concerns regarding the heightened security can contact San Diego County’s Office of Emergency Services at 858-565-3490 or oes@sdcounty.ca.gov.

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Copyright 2026, City News Service, Inc.





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SD Unified moves forward with layoffs of classified employees

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SD Unified moves forward with layoffs of classified employees


SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Less than 3 weeks after the San Diego Unified School District finalized a new contract with teachers, the school board voted unanimously on Tuesday to move forward with layoff notices for other district employees.

The layoffs affect classified employees — workers who are employed by the district but are not teachers and are not certified. That includes bus drivers, custodians, special education and teacher aides, and cafeteria workers.

The district says it is eliminating 221 positions — 133 that are currently filled and 88 that are vacant — to save $19 million and help address a projected $47 million deficit for the next fiscal year.

Preliminary layoff notices will go out on March 15, with final notices by May 15.

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The district estimates about 200 classified employees will receive preliminary notices, but of them, about 70 are expected to lose their jobs based on union-negotiated bumping rules.

Bumping allows employees with more seniority to move into another position in the same classification, thereby “bumping” a less senior employee out of that role.

Lupe Murray, an early childhood special education parafacilitator with the district, said the news came as a shock after the teacher strike was called off.

“When the strike was called off, I’m like, ‘Yes!’ So then when I got the email from the Superintendent, I’m like, ‘Wait, what?’ So, I think everyone was shocked,” Murray said.

The district says it sends out annual layoff notices, as all districts in the state do.

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Before Tuesday’s board meeting, classified employees rallied outside, made up of CSEA (California School Employees Association) Chapters OTBS 788, Paraeducators 759, and OSS 724. They were joined by parents, students, and the San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council, AFL-CIO.

Miguel Arellano, a paraeducator independence facilitator with San Diego Unified and a representative of San Diego Paraeducators Cahpter 759.

“What do we want? No layoffs! When do we want it? Now!” the crowd chanted.

Arellano said he felt compelled to act when he learned about the potential layoffs.

“The first thing that went through my mind was that I need to speak up. I need to protect these people,” Arellano said.

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Inside the meeting, the board heard emotional, at times tearful testimony from classified employees before voting unanimously to move forward with the layoff schedule.

Superintendent Fabi Bagula said the district has tried to protect classrooms from the cuts.

“We have tried our best to only, I mean, to not touch the school. Or the classroom. But now it’s at the point where it’s getting a little bit harder,” Bagula said. “What I’m still hoping, or what I’m still working toward, because we’re still in negotiations, is that we’re able to actually come to a win-win, where there’s positions and availability and maybe even promotions for folks that are impacted.”

Arellano warned the layoffs could have a direct impact on students.

“We are already spread thin, so, with more of a case load, it’s going to be impossible to be able to service all the students that we need to have,” Arellano said.

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Follow ABC 10News Anchor Max Goldwasser on InstagramFacebook, and Twitter.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.





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Scripps Oceanography granted $15M for deep sea, glacier science

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Scripps Oceanography granted M for deep sea, glacier science


The Fund for Science and Technology, a new private foundation, granted Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego $15 million for ocean science Tuesday.

FFST, funded by the estate of the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, was started in 2025 with a commitment to invest at least $500 million over four years to “propel transformative science and technology for people and the planet.”

“Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego is pushing boundaries for exploration and discovery across the global ocean,” Chancellor Pradeep Khosla said. “This visionary support from the Fund for Science and Technology will enable Scripps researchers to advance our understanding of our planet, which has meaningful implications for communities around the world.”

The grant, the largest of its kind since Scripps joined UCSD in 1960, will go toward research in three areas: monitoring of environmental DNA and other biomolecules in marine ecosystems, adding to the Argo network of ocean observing robots, and enhancing the study of ocean conditions beneath Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier, often referred to as the “Doomsday Glacier.”

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Scripps Institution of Oceanography has used Argo floats for more than two decades to track climate impacts in our oceans. NBC 7 meteorologist Greg Bledsoe reports.

“The Fund for Science and Technology was created to support transformational science in the search of answers to some of the planet’s most complex questions,” said Dr. Lynda Stuart, president and CEO at the fund. “Scripps has a long tradition of leadership at the frontiers of ocean and climate science, and this work builds on that legacy — strengthening the tools and insights needed to understand our environment at a truly global and unprecedented scale.”

Scripps Director Emeritus Margaret Leinen will use a portion of the grant in her analysis of eDNA — free-floating fragments of DNA shed by organisms into the environment — in understudied parts of the ocean to collect crucial baseline data on marine organisms, according to a statement from Scripps.

“In many regions, we know very little about the microbial communities that form the base of the ocean food web or that make deep sea ecosystems so unique,” Leinen said. “Without data, we can’t predict how these communities are going to respond to climate change or what the consequences might be. That’s a vulnerability — and this funding will help us begin to address it.”

Using autonomous samplers that can collect ocean water for eDNA analysis, as well as conventional sampling, scientists will use tools to “reveal the biology of the open ocean and polar regions.”

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According to Scripps, the international Argo program has more than 4,000 floats that drift with currents and periodically dive to measure temperature, salinity and pressure. Standard floats can record data up to depths of 2,000 meters (6,560 feet), while newer Deep Argo floats can dive to 6,000 meters (19,685 feet).

The grant funding announced Tuesday will allow for Scripps to deploy around 50 Deep Argo floats along with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory.

Sarah Purkey, physical oceanographer at Scripps and Argo lead, said this leap forward in deep ocean monitoring comes at a crucial time because the deep sea has warmed faster than expected over the last two decades.

Thwaites Glacier is Antarctica’s largest collapsing glacier and contains enough ice to raise global sea level by roughly two feet if it were to collapse entirely. According to Scripps, prior expeditions led by scientist Jamin Greenbaum discovered anomalously warm water beneath the glacier’s ice shelf — contributing to melting from below. Greenbaum now seeks to collect water samples and other measurements from beneath Thwaites’ ice tongue to disentangle the drivers of its rapid melting.

This season’s Antarctic fieldwork will “test hypotheses about the drivers of Thwaites’ rapid melt with implications for sea-level rise projections,” the statement from Scripps said.

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“The ocean holds answers to some of the most pressing questions about our planet’s future, but only if we can observe it,” said Meenakshi Wadhwa, director of Scripps Institution of Oceanography and vice chancellor for marine sciences at UCSD. “This historic grant will help ocean scientists bring new tools and approaches to parts of the ocean we’ve barely begun to explore.”



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