Get the Facts

Corporate-funded mailers and Fatima’s opponent have spent over $1.8 million spreading misleading attacks on Fatima Iqbal-Zubair. Here are the facts.

Who’s Paying for the Attacks on Fatima?

The mailers, digital ads, and TV ads attacking Fatima are paid for by five independent expenditure committees that have spent more than $1.8 million against her campaign. Here are the big corporations and billionaires behind them, straight from their public filings.

“Californians for Accountability” — $584,000

• California Alliance of Family Owned Businesses: $549,500

• Californians for Jobs and a Strong Economy: $150,000 — itself funded by PG&E, Edison International, Chevron, Sempra Energy, Walmart, Amazon, Coinbase, and over 140 other corporate donors

“Grow California” — $655,000 

• Chris Larsen (Billionaire & Ripple co-founder): $15 million

• Tim Draper (Billionaire & venture capitalist): $5 million

“JobsPAC” — $292,000 (California Chamber of Commerce)

• PG&E: $2.4 million

• Sempra Energy: $2.25 million

• Edison International: $2.25 million

• Meta: $2 million

• Sergey Brin (Google co-founder): $2 million

• Uber: $500,000

• Airbnb: $500,000

• A McDonald’s franchisees-sponsored committee: $250,000

“Coalition to Restore California’s Middle Class” — $168,000

• Chevron: $3.78 million

• Valero: $2.5 million

• Marathon Petroleum: $2 million

• California Resources Corporation: $500,000

“Keep California Golden” — $97,000

• California Association of REALTORS: $750,000

• California Building Industry Association: $160,000

• Philip Morris: $50,000

• California New Car Dealers Association: $50,000

Fatima doesn’t take a dime from any of these corporations that are driving up your gas, grocery, and rent prices.

Fatima Iqbal-Zubair’s Property Taxes Are All Paid Up

The claim:

Corporate-funded mailers attacking Fatima claim she failed to pay her property taxes.

The facts:

When you buy a home in California, the county sends property tax bills in two categories. Your regular annual taxes are usually paid by your mortgage company through escrow. But after a home purchase, the county also sends a separate supplemental property tax bill — and that one isn’t covered by escrow. It’s the homeowner’s responsibility to pay directly.

According to the LA County Assessor’s Office, this distinction is a common source of confusion for new homeowners — so much so that the office routinely receives inquiries about it.

That’s exactly what happened to Fatima and her family.

• April 2024: Fatima and her family purchased their current home.

• Later in 2024: A supplemental tax bill arrived. In their previous home, escrow had always handled property taxes — and their escrow account was already collecting more than enough to cover this bill. Their mortgage company later refunded them the overpayment.

• When they learned the bill was overdue: Fatima’s husband took time off work and drove to the county office in person. He paid the full $11,107.98 bill, plus the penalty, on the spot.

• Before leaving: He asked county staff whether the account was fully settled. He was told it was.

• Recently: They learned a remaining balance was still outstanding. They paid it online the same day.

The account is now fully settled.

Fatima and her family paid every dollar they owed. They paid the penalty. They paid in person at the county office. The attacks are designed to make a routine homeowner mistake — one the LA County Assessor’s Office acknowledges is common — look like something more. It’s not.

Fatima Iqbal-Zubair Fixed Her Form 700 Paperwork.

The claim:

Corporate-funded mailers and Davis’s own campaign claim Fatima “concealed” her husband’s income on her financial disclosure form.

The facts:

In 2020, when Fatima ran for office for the first time, she filled out California’s Form 700 — the financial disclosure form required of every candidate — without including her husband’s income. She didn’t realize the form required her to disclose her spouse’s earnings.

After the incumbent Assemblymember’s attorney filed a complaint, the FPPC contacted her about the omission, and she immediately filed an amendment to correct it.

The FPPC closed the case with a letter — the agency’s lightest case resolution, with no prosecution and no fine. The FPPC’s own letter documents the reasons for that resolution:

• Fatima was a first-time candidate

• She did not realize her spouse’s income was required to be disclosed

• She had no prior violations of the Political Reform Act

• She had timely filed both of her required pre-election campaign statements

• As soon as she learned of the requirement, she filed an amendment

Fatima has filled out her Form 700 correctly in every campaign since.

The attacks try to turn a first-time candidate’s paperwork mistake into a “pattern of dishonesty.” It isn’t one. It was a mistake, she fixed it, and the FPPC’s own letter spells out exactly why they closed the case with a warning rather than a penalty.

Fatima and Her Husband Fazlul are immigrants who Fled War and Worked their Way into the Middle Class

Fatima and her husband Fazlul live in Harbor Gateway with their family. Fazlul earned his Doctorate in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from UC Irvine and is a Chief Engineer working on satellite and radar systems. In his free time, he mentors a world championship robotics team — passing on his love of science to the next generation of engineers.