San Diego City Council candidate Martha Abraham faced sharp criticism on Thursday from local elected officials over her campaign support from a nonpartisan neighborhood group that has circulated controversial cartoons. Voice of San Diego reported that City Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera and County Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe condemned Abraham at a downtown press conference for accepting backing from San Diego United Communities.
San Diego Politicians Clash Over Neighborhood Group Support
The dispute centers on San Diego United Communities, an organization of residents frustrated by large development projects and current City Hall leadership. While the group is officially nonpartisan, it has endorsed candidates challenging incumbent city officials and opposes two sitting leaders. Abraham, a Democrat running for City Council, accepted the group’s endorsement and support.
Elo-Rivera criticized Abraham during the Thursday press conference, arguing that her association with the group demonstrates a lapse in judgment. “Either it’s a failure in morality, in being able to disassociate yourself from people who are doing things you don’t believe in, or it’s a failure in leadership because you don’t have the leadership capability to get people to act the right way who are standing beside you and supporting you,” Elo-Rivera said.
Speakers at the event, including County Supervisor Montgomery Steppe, attorney Geneviéve Jones-Wright, and local residents, took issue with the group’s land use positions and two specific cartoons depicting Foster and Montgomery Steppe. Montgomery Steppe stated that the coalition promotes racist images and rhetoric directed at Black leaders in San Diego.
Jared Sclar, a campaign consultant for Abraham, previously maintained that any activity undertaken by San Diego United Communities was independent of the candidate’s campaign.
Abraham Campaign Responds to Establishment Criticisms
In a written email statement responding to the accusations, Abraham and Sclar deflected the criticism back at city leadership. Abraham argued that Elo-Rivera should examine his own record before issuing reprimands.
“It is not surprising that establishment politicians who created the mess at City Hall today continue to attack Martha. For him to lecture anyone about a ‘failure in leadership’ is ironic given the record of City Hall over the last 6 years,” Abraham stated.
Patty Ducey-Brooks, a spokesperson for San Diego United Communities, defended the endorsement. She noted that Abraham is not a member of the organization and received backing based on her platform and plans for the district. Ducey-Brooks asserted that elected officials should respond to criticism professionally rather than attacking community members.
“Nobody’s judged by their color, by their background, by their characters, by their history. They’re judged by their contributions to doing good in the community. And that’s what’s wrong with our politicians today,” Ducey-Brooks said.
Edgemoor Facility Administrator Resigns Amid Misconduct Inquiries
In county news, Erin Chancler, the administrator of the Edgemoor skilled nursing facility since 2020, announced her departure effective October 16. Chancler’s exit follows recently disclosed misconduct cases at the facility. In a Tuesday announcement obtained by Voice of San Diego, Chancler confirmed she is stepping away after nearly eight years with the county.
County spokesperson Tim McClain stated that Chancler resigned to pursue another opportunity and thanked her for her service. McClain did not clarify whether the county has selected an interim leader for the facility.
South Bay Lawmakers Celebrate Sacramento Legislative Wins
State lawmakers representing the South Bay secured legislative approvals this week. State Assemblymember David Alvarez won Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature on a bill allowing community colleges to offer bachelor’s degrees, a move that benefits Southwestern College. Meanwhile, state Sen. Steve Padilla successfully backed legislation limiting mark-ups on detention center commissaries and property tax exemptions for those facilities.
County Supervisor Proposes Extended Email Retention Policy
County Supervisor Joel Anderson is proposing a change to county record-keeping practices following recent reporting by Voice of San Diego regarding the deletion of staff emails prior to a criminal case against a former county contractor. Anderson will propose at next Tuesday’s board meeting that the county retain all emails and text messages for a minimum of five years, replacing the current policy of automatically purging most staff emails after two years.
Unanswered Questions Regarding the City Council Race and County Policies
It remains unclear how voters in the district will weigh the controversy surrounding San Diego United Communities’ endorsements against Abraham’s platform as the election approaches. County officials have not yet specified when the board will vote on Anderson's proposed email retention policy changes or whether an interim administrator has been appointed for the Edgemoor facility.
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