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Help us tell the Oakland stories that matter to you and your fellow Oaklanders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes, I want to chip in to support Oaklandside\u2019s work!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Following Mayor Barbara Lee\u2019s election in April, an independent committee threw her an inaugural bash featuring a string quartet, spoken word, traditional lion dance, and speeches from prominent politicos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The committee<\/a> sought small and large donations to support this effort. The organizers said they would eventually release a list of contributors, promising an inaugural weekend guided by \u201ctransparency, equity, and community.\u201d A new report<\/a> from the committee and additional details provided to The Oaklandside show that some of Oakland\u2019s largest companies and dozens of individuals bankrolled the events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Never miss a story.<\/strong> Sign up for The Oaklandside\u2019s free daily newsletter.<\/strong>Email<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Oakland Inaugural Committee is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit set up this spring<\/a> and run by volunteers Yvonne Hudson-Harmon, Dr. John Maa, and Dr. Glenda Newell-Harris. The committee operated independently from Lee and her campaign. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In their report, the organizers said they designed a weekend that \u201ccelebrated not only the inauguration of Barbara Lee as Oakland\u2019s first Black female mayor, but also the enduring strength of our community, its people, and the spirit of collective action that defines The Town.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Businesspeople and community members often establish such committees to usher in newly elected officials. These nonprofits don\u2019t face many of the restrictions that apply to campaign committees, such as limits on contributions and disclosure requirements. This can attract donors who want to support an elected official at a larger level or curry favor with them under the radar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lee\u2019s inaugural committee raised $290,052 and spent $176,453 on the weekend\u2019s events, which included the 3,000-person ceremony at Jack London Square on June 8, as well as a smaller Black Cultural Zone event and a citywide \u201cday of service\u201d with street clean-ups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThousands of Oaklanders, representing the city\u2019s amazing tapestry, participated in neighborhood cleanups, celebrated local culture, and gathered in joy,\u201d the committee wrote in its report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The report released by this committee included the names of all contributors but not the exact amounts they gave; that information was provided to The Oaklandside when we asked for it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Kaiser Permanente and the California Nurses Association contributed the largest amounts, at $50,000 each. Tech company Block, Sutter Health, and PG&E each spent $25,000. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At the $10,000 level: Blue Shield of California, businessman and former Port of Oakland commissioner Ces Butner, Comcast, attorney Gordon Greenwood, the Meadow Fund, and an anonymous donor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At these high tiers, contributors received perks like reserved inauguration seating (the event was otherwise free, open to the public, and live-streamed<\/a>) and invitations to a private reception. The report also includes the names of about 60 individuals and organizations that gave amounts under $5,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2015, developer John Protopappas established a committee for Libby Schaaf\u2019s inauguration. That group, which raised $88,000, refused to disclose its supporters. There was no inauguration committee established to support Mayor Sheng Thao; there does not appear to have been special events beyond the city-run swearing-in ceremony at the Paramount Theatre for Thao and new councilmembers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lee committee said it will donate the fund\u2019s remaining balance of over $100,000 to nonprofits \u201cserving the Oakland community and Oakland youth.\u201d It did not specify which nonprofits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to contributing to campaign and inaugural committees, people and corporations looking to support elected officials can give money to their officeholder accounts. Last month, councilmembers filed reports\u00a0detailing how they\u2019ve spent those contributions<\/a>\u00a0so far this year.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n natalie@oaklandside.org<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Natalie Orenstein is a senior reporter covering City Hall, housing and homelessness for The Oaklandside. Her reporting on a flood of eviction cases following the end of the Alameda County pandemic moratorium won recognition from the Society of Professional Reporters NorCal in 2024. Natalie was previously on staff at Berkeleyside, where she covered education, including extensive, award-winning reporting on the legacy of school desegregation in Berkeley Unified. Natalie lives in Oakland, grew up in Berkeley, and has only left her beloved East Bay once, to attend Pomona College.More by Natalie Orenstein<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A new report reveals who funded the $180,000 slate of events welcoming Oakland\u2019s new mayor in June. by\u00a0Natalie Orenstein Aug. 18, 2025 (Oaklandsidel.org) Help us tell the Oakland stories that matter to you and your fellow Oaklanders. Yes, I want to chip in to support Oaklandside\u2019s work! Following Mayor Barbara… Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/oaklandside.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Lee-inauguration-screenshot-1600x1041.jpg\")
NATALIE ORENSTEIN<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n