Morro Bay Mayor John Headding continues to engage in questionable conduct.
According to his campaign’s FPPC Form 497 Contribution Report from Sept. 12, 2022, Mayor Headding received his largest campaign contribution from Alla Weinstein for $2,000. Weinstein is listed as an engineer for Global Business Alliance, LLC (“GBA”). On their website, GBA describes themselves as an organization that “actively promotes and defends an open economy that welcomes international companies to invest in America.” Ms. Weinstein is also known as the founder of Trident Winds Inc. She is described as pursuing “efforts in developing a commercial scale floating offshore wind farm off the coast of Morro Bay in Central California.”
Today, on Nov. 1, the City Council met in closed session with Ms. Weinstein to negotiate outfall facilities previously used by the Morro Bay Power Plant. If Mayor Headding did not recuse himself during this closed session meeting, he will be in violation with state conflict of interest laws. There are valid concerns that Mayor Headding may offer terms that are more lenient or favorable to Ms. Weinstein and Trident Winds because of the glaringly large campaign contribution he received from her.
Mayor Headding remains involved in a Fair Political Practices Commission (“FPPC”) investigation into his possible conflicts of interest with his colleague, Councilwoman Jennifer “Jen” Ford and her marketing agency Rock Harbor Marketing. It would be wise for Mayor Headding to recuse himself from any closed session items with one of the negotiating parties being his largest contributor to his 2022 re-election campaign to date.
I must remind readers that disclosing this issue should not be construed as a position for or against offshore wind energy. This is a matter of government ethics and ensuring our elected officials are held to a higher standard.