A press conference held yesterday afternoon by San Diegans for Change addressed the “Clawgate” political mailer in which several community leaders and members of District 3 who donated to Stephen Whitburn’s campaign were 
erroneously labeled as “special interests” making “back room deals” in an anti-Whitburn mailer which hit households late last week.(one year later three men were fined).
Speaking on the corner of Fourth & University were Tom Mullaney, of Friends of San Diego, who led the successful fight against the 301 University project; David Potter, a respected environmental, land use and planning consultant who provided consulting services to the residents of Kensington in their effort to downsize the Kensington Terrace project; Roxanne Govari, who is currently leading the effort in her community against the expansion of the Academy of Our Lady of Peace; attorney Barry Hager, who was instrumental in the effort to scale back the Mission Hills Paseo development, led the campaign to create the Ft. Stockton Line Historic District, and helped pass the Uptown Interim Height Ordinance; and Dan Soderberg, a community activist and historic preservationist.
Each of these speakers has donated countless hours to improving their neighborhoods and communities, yet were named as “special interests” in the infamous mailer. District 3 resident Ray Ramage stated, “Until I received this ugly hit piece last week, I was undecided about my vote for councilman. Now that I’ve seen the handwriting on the wall, I know better.”
