Californians for Obama Denies Charges of Exploiting for Personal Gain

When more than 100 Barack Obama supporters gathered at 399 N. "D" Street in  downtown San Bernardino for a grand opening reception of Californians for Obama last week, many of them questioned why several large posters of the Democratic presidential hopeful lay hidden in a backroom away from view. They also questioned why Obama's Inland Empire or California campaign staff were not present.

Emmett Cash III, state chairman and coordinator for Californians for Obama told supporters including Pomona Mayor Norma J. Torres, SB City Councilwoman hopeful Carolyn Tillman and others that his organization is not directly tied to the Illinois senator's official campaign, is registered with the Federal Elections Commission and simply wants Obama to win the White House.

On Wednesday Obama campaign spokesperson Jen Psaki cast a shadow on Cash's zeal by accusing the organization of exploiting Obama's name for personal gain.

"The San Bernardino office is an unauthorized use of the senator's name to raise money," Psaki said in a published statement.  "We embrace grassroots involvement. But we want to make sure people are protected and we encourage supporters to get involved by working directly with the national campaign."

Emmett Cash, State Chairman and Coordinator for Californians for Obama, (r) welcomes Pomona Mayor Norma J. Torres (middle) and more than 100 Obama supporters to a reception at the group's new office Tuesday evening in San Bernardino. Obama's national campaign says it does not recognize the organization.

Cash denied exploiting Obama's name, claiming the $10,000 raised to date has been spent on printings, mailers and legitimate telephone expenses and 70,000 posters.

He says that Obama campaign representatives have contacted him and asked him to change his organization's name.

"I'm sitting on 70,000 posters, fliers and stacks of other promotional materials that they want destroyed because they don't agree with what we're doing. It's not right."

Californians for Obama modeled after the highly successful volunteer campaign that landed Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger a second term, also has offices in Oakland, Burbank, Inglewood, Fresno and Bakersfield.

"We've done nothing illegal and are acting out of an honest desire to support Obama," added Cash.

Friday afternoon the San Bernardino office was locked. Tenants reported seeing Cash on Wednesday.  "Something is not right," said a worker who did not want to be identified.

The organization has reportedly leased the suite through February. Cash says he has no plans to close the San Bernardino location.