.Perata Stays on Prison Guard’s Payroll

Ex-state Senator Don Perata apparently does not believe that his close association with the California prison guards’ union will harm his chances with progressive Oakland voters in this year’s mayoral race. According to newly filed campaign finance reports, the powerful prison guards’ union paid Perata another $60,000 from April through June of this year. Perata has now pocketed nearly $409,000 from the prison guards’ union since being termed out of the Senate in January 2009.