That's according to recent campaign filings from Count the Vote, the super PAC that directly paid for the Congressional District 16 recount that sent Assemblymember Evan Low to a November runoff election with former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo. Donors to the political action committee have been hidden -- until now.
San Jose Spotlight reports the biggest contributor to Count the Vote is another PAC, Neighbors for Results, which gave $102,000. Neighbors for Results has also spent nearly $517,000 to support Liccardo in the election and its biggest donor is billionaire and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, with whom Liccardo shares some history.
Jonathan Padilla also contributed $1,000. Padilla, who formerly worked on Liccardo's mayoral campaign and has been politically active in Silicon Valley's Democratic circles, originally requested the recount in April.
At the time, he wrote he was requesting the recount on behalf of Low, and Low opposed any connection to Padilla or the recount. Low tied with Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian in the March primary election, and the recount turned up a handful more votes for Low, leading Simitian to concede. Liccardo has repeatedly denied any connection to Padilla's recount request.
The biggest individual contributor to Count the Vote is Christian Larsen, co-founder of cryptocurrency tech company Ripple Labs, who put $100,000 into the super PAC.
