The Stockton City Council should require campaign consultants to disclose which politicians they support, and how much they’re being paid to do so, the San Joaquin County grand jury recommended in June.
The push in the grand jury’s report for transparency surrounding consultants arose from its investigation into 209 Times, a social media platform owned by a Stockton campaign consultant. People linked to 209 Times have used the platform to intimidate officials in an attempt to get their way at city hall, the grand jury said.
“Individuals utilizing a (social media platform) have consistently attempted to undermine the local democratic process by misleading the Stockton electorate and attempting to affect election results through unethical influence,” the grand jury said.
209 Times belongs to Motecuzoma Sanchez, a former member of several city commissions who also owns two Stockton-based political consulting companies, according to the grand jury.
Sanchez has sometimes presented 209 Times as a news outlet. Other times, he’s said it isn’t. What is clear is that has financial ties to candidates in races 209 Times has posted about.