Union leader behind billionaire tax measure alleges 'smear' campaign against him

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Set us as preferred SACRAMENTO — Labor leader Dave Regan claimed Friday that he was the victim of a “smear” campaign orchestrated in part by wealthy Californians and said he has been falsely accused of attempting to “extort” an endorsement of the billionaire tax ballot measure and of physically assaulting a female union leader.Investigations commissioned by the Service Employees International Union and SEIU California, and conducted by outside law firms, determined the allegations against Regan were credible, along with reports that he threatened and intimidated other female labor leaders.

Regan, who is president of SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, vehemently denied the allegations, which were first reported by The Times Friday morning.During a video news conference hours after the allegations were published, Regan claimed the probes were launched by opponents of Proposition 40 — the billionaire tax measure he helped place on the Nov.

3 ballot — as well as members of the SEIU California labor council with whom he had clashed in the past.California SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West President Dave Regan denied the allegations.

He said he did not attempt to extort from union officials, or assault or threaten female labor leaders.Regan, joined by other SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West union leaders and members, also criticized Gov.Gavin Newsom for opposing the proposed one-time 5% tax on billionaires’ assets.Newsom is “trying to curry favor with the richest people in the state to fund [his] presidential campaign,” Regan said.

“That is shameful behavior.”Newsom and other opponents of the measure, including Democratic gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and the California Teachers Assn., have expressed concern that Proposition 40 could push many o...