Deng Returns $2,500 Donation Amid Fundraising Criticism

Palo Alto council candidate Yudy Deng is returning a check from a political committee after criticism over out-of-town donations.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Philanthropy

Deng Returns $2,500 Donation Amid Fundraising Criticism

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Palo Alto City Council candidate Yudy Deng said she is returning a $2,500 donation from the Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee, which her campaign reported on Wednesday. The move follows criticism that she took 102 of 157 donations from outside Palo Alto.

Why it matters

The dispute highlights questions about where local candidates raise money and how outside political groups participate in city council races. Deng's campaign has collected $182,131 in total.

Deng's campaign has collected $182,131, and 102 of its 157 donations came from outside Palo Alto. The $2,500 check from the Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee is the donation she is now returning.

The players

Yudy Deng

Yudy Deng is a candidate for the Palo Alto City Council.

Margaret Abe-Koga

Margaret Abe-Koga is a Santa Clara County Supervisor who has previously run for the Mountain View City Council.

Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee

The Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee is a political group that supports LGBTQ candidates in San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.

The details

Deng said she is returning the check, which was sent to her treasurer in Sacramento. The committee, which supports LGBTQ candidates in San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, had sponsored a $2,500 event Deng held in September, where she posed with a giant check. Santa Clara County Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga said criticism of Deng for out-of-town fundraising is racist, citing similar criticism she faced when running for Mountain View City Council.

September 2026: Deng held the committee-sponsored event and posed with a photo check.
Late September 2026: Deng stopped fundraising, as she had pledged.
October 28, 2026: The committee's second $2,500 donation was reported.
October 30, 2026: Deng announced she is returning the check.

Philanthropy Context

Abe-Koga has said she faced similar criticism over out-of-town donations during her Mountain View City Council run, which she has described as racist. The Palo Alto dispute repeats that pattern of scrutiny over where local candidates raise their money.

Palo Alto voters can see where a candidate's campaign money comes from in public finance filings. The dispute shows how donor location and committee affiliation may shape how residents assess a council candidate's fundraising.

The takeaway

Voters evaluating local candidates can look at where donations originate, not just how much is raised. Candidates facing scrutiny over donor sources may choose to return contributions, as Deng has done.