BART Ad Featuring Draymond Green Prompts Political Practices Complaint

OAKLAND (KCBS) -- A BART promotion featuring Golden State Warriors Forward Draymond Green has prompted a complaint alleging unfair political practices.

The complaint alleges that the 31-second "Take BART to the Game," which was posted on BART's website Friday, may violate election law by supporting Measure RR. That's the $3 and half billion dollar bond measure on next week's ballot that would raise taxes in all the counties BART serves in order to pay for a system overhaul.

Agencies aren't supposed to use public funds to create material advocates for or against a ballot measure and the campaign denies the video does anything other than encourage people to get on BART.

Draymond Says by BARTable on YouTube

But, KCBS and Chronicle Insider Phil Matier argues it's a fine line between public service and political advocacy.

"Text blasts if a BART train's late, you can sign up for warnings if there's trouble on the system, and now those blasts include regularly various problems that are on the line; for example, corroding cables, or leaking inside the tunnel in San Francisco, while saying we need to keep the system going. Is that campaigning? That's what the debate is about – not so much Green," Matier said.

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