DOJ targeted info about Napa County Farm Bureau’s PAC in investigation; others subpoenaed were donors

In addition to the public entities recently subpoenaed by the U.S. Department of Justice in its probe of Napa County, a private trade organization was asked to supply documents to federal investigators, The Press Democrat has learned.

The DOJ subpoenaed the Napa County Farm Bureau, asking the locally powerful industry group for information pertaining to its political action committee — the Fund to Protect Napa Valley Agriculture — as acknowledged Wednesday by Tawny Tesconi, the bureau’s interim CEO.

Tesconi took over the bureau’s helm after the former CEO, Ryan Klobas, died by apparent suicide Jan. 16.

Tesconi declined to provide a copy of the subpoena or copies of the documents compiled by her organization, but said the Farm Bureau complied with the DOJ’s request.

The Press Democrat obtained copies of three subpoenas sent by the Justice Department to various Napa County offices, through use of the California Public Records Act. The act does not apply to privately funded trade organizations like the Napa County Farm Bureau.

The DOJ investigation appears to be sprawling, with branches of inquiry that reach into the Upper Valley Waste Management Agency, redevelopment of the Napa County Airport, road pavement projects on Atlas Peak, a controversial — and now scuttled — vineyard project involving Napa County Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza, and other prominent agricultural and development interests.

The federal order aimed at the Farm Bureau may shed light on some of those connections.

Seven of the individuals and entities among the 40 named in one of the DOJ subpoenas are major donors to the Napa County Farm Bureau.

They include:

• Caymus Vineyards, which has given $60,000 to the Fund to Protect Napa Valley Agriculture since it was established in 2019;

• Charles “Chuck” J. Wagner, one of Caymus’ founders, gave $45,000;

• Hundred Acre Wine gave $25,000;

• Mer Soleil winery gave $15,000;

• Craig Hall, a former minority owner of the Dallas Cowboys who co-owns Hall Wines, gave $5,000 and his wife, Kathryn Hall, a former U.S. ambassador to Austria gave $5,000.

Chuck Wagner’s son, Charles “Charlie” F. Wagner runs Mer Soleil. He, too, is named in the subpoena.

The Press Democrat has reached out to all the individuals named in the subpoenas with requests for comment, but has received no response.

The messaging on the Farm Bureau PAC’s website focuses on the upcoming Napa County Board of Supervisors elections. Three of five seats are currently being contested. The PAC calls the 2024 election a pivotal one.

“Our mission has always been clear: to ensure the proper political, social, and economic climate for the continuation of a strong, viable, and sustainable agricultural economy in Napa County,” the website states. “In this pursuit, we believe it is crucial to lend our support to political candidates who reflect a commitment to Napa County agriculture’s prosperity and well-being.”

The PAC is endorsing Liz Alessio in District 2, Pete Mott in District 4 and Mariam Aboudamous in District 5. It has donated to all three in the past several years, including nearly $10,000 to Mott in 2024 and about $13,500 to Aboudamous between 2020 and 2023. The PAC’s contributions to Alessio have been much smaller.

The Fund to Protect Napa Valley Agriculture has also paid for print ads in support of five of nine current board members, or alternate members, of the Upper Valley Waste Management Agency: Margie Mohler, Scott Cooper, Lester Hardy, Anna Chouteau and Irais Lopez-Ortega, all of whom are elected officials in St. Helena, Calistoga or Yountville.

The waste management agency is another area of focus for the DOJ.

You can reach Phil Barber at 707-521-5263 or phil.barber@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @Skinny_Post.