Politics, Government and Business in Southern California's Inland Empire
PolitiCal
On politics in the Golden State
February 3, 2012 | 2:46 pm
A veteran attorney for the state’s political watchdog agency has been named acting executive director, addressing concern by some good-government activists that the position had long been vacant.
John W. Wallace, who has been the state Fair Political Practices Commission’s assistant general counsel, was approved by the panel to serve as its top staffer on an interim basis without any increase in pay.
By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times
December 8, 2011, 9:39 p.m.
Reporting from Sacramento— State lawmakers and city council members can accept expensive gifts from lobbyists without disclosure if they are dating, and can receive meals and lodging in lobbyists’ homes without telling the public, under rules approved Thursday by the state ethics agency.
By Torey Van Oot |
tvanoot@sacbee.com
Published: Thursday, Nov. 24, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
The gift-giving season is always tricky for California legislators and other public officials, who must disclose the goodies they get to comply with the state’s Political Reform Act.
Now the state Fair Political Practices Commission is trying to rewrite the rules.
November 20, 2011 | Will Evans
Ann Ravel, Gov. Jerry Brown’s pick to lead the state Fair Political Practices Commission, has been on the job less than a year but is moving quickly and provoking strong reactions.
By Torey Van Oot
tvanoot@sacbee.com
Published: Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
The new chairwoman of the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission has come under fire from a fellow appointee to the five-member panel, who said she is working to “help politicians who don’t like the FPPC regulations.”
Capitol Alert
The latest on California politics and government
November 10, 2011
By Laurel Rosenhall and Torey Van Oot
The Fair Political Practices Commission decided today to levy a $30,000 fine against lobbyist Frank Molina , scrapping an earlier proposal to increase his penalty to $50,000.
BY JIM MILLER
STAFF WRITER
jmiller@pe.com
Published: 04 November 2011 12:25 PM
The San Bernardino Community College District has agreed to pay $2,000 as punishment for sending a newsletter that violated state political reform laws.
PolitiCal
On politics in the Golden State
November 4, 2011 | 4:37 pm
The state’s ethics watchdog panel is considering what its chairwoman calls “a complete overhaul” of regulations on gifts to public officials, and some of the proposals drew objections Friday from open-government advocates.
Capital Notes — From KQED’s John Myers
October 31, 2011, 4:30 pm • Posted by John Myers
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KQED/John Myers
A legal analysis by the state’s campaign finance watchdog agency says that donations never deposited into candidate accounts by accused treasurer Kinde Durkee can be solicited a second time.
PolitiCal
On politics in the Golden State
October 13, 2011 | 1:15 pm
The ability to contribute to your favorite California political candidates will soon be just a text message away, after the state’s ethics agency took a step Thursday to bring campaigning into the 21st century.
October 13, 2011 | 5:25 pm
The state Fair Political Practices Commission continued to weigh whether to allow candidates and committees to ask their donors to give more to replace millions of dollars that is probably lost in what the chairwoman called “the greatest campaign treasurer fraud in the history of the country.”
By John Howard | 10/13/11 12:00 AM PST
For years, lawmakers have battered the Fair Political Practices Commission, the state’s campaign law enforcer spawned by the Watergate scandals.
Rutherford
Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 10/11/2011 07:00:22 PM PDT
A potentially illegal campaign contribution to San Bernardino County Supervisor Janice Rutherford has prompted her to require all donors to her campaign to acknowledge that the money they are contributing is their own.
By Torey Van Oot
tvanoot@sacbee.com
Published: Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
The state political watchdog agency is set to consider next month adopting substantial changes to rules governing gifts to public officials and staff, including exemptions from disclosure for presents received from former spouses, dating partners and longtime friends.
Monday, October 3, 2011 – 05;30 a.m.
You’ve gotta hand it to the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors for their campaign finance reform proposals.
The biggest idea is a cap on contributions to the candidates or officials themselves.
By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times
October 1, 2011
Reporting from Sacramento— The head of the state’s ethics agency Friday proposed new measures to prevent fraud in the handling of political funds in response to a federal investigation of Kinde Durkee, who is suspected of embezzling from campaign accounts she controlled.
Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Created: 09/28/2011 06:48:04 PM PDT
A proposal for campaign finance reform in San Bernardino County has raised the eyebrows of government ethics advocates and experts, who question its reliance on the state to enforce campaign finance limits.
Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Created: 09/27/2011 12:42:57 PM PDT
A proposal to limit how much money groups can give to candidates seeking county elected office was unanimously approved Tuesday by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.
The vote gives staff the go-ahead to prepare an ordinance placing a cap on campaign contributions.
Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 09/26/2011 06:05:23 PM PDT
The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors today is expected to take its first step in having an ordinance drafted that would establish campaign-contribution limits for candidates seeking elected office in the county.
PolitiCal
On politics in the Golden State
September 19, 2011 | 1:53 pm
The state’s ethics watchdog agency has set a meeting next week to consider whether campaign finance limits and spending report deadlines should be temporarily waived for politicians affected by the alleged misuse of funds by campaign treasurer Kinde Durkee.
By Jon Ortiz
jortiz@sacbee.com
Published: Thursday, Sep. 15, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
It could have been worse. A lot worse.
Next week, a state watchdog committee will take up 16 cases involving current and former employees and board members of the California Public Employees’ Retirement System who failed to report gifts they had received from business associates.
September 13th, 2011, 11:30 am · posted by BRIAN JOSEPH, Sacramento Correspondent
State and federal campaign finance laws may prevent some of Kinde Durkee‘s clients from replacing the money they’ve allegedly lost, the Orange County Register has learned.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011 – 06:00 a.m.
The state’s political watchdog is set to levy a fine against a local consultant for improperly formatting a voter guide.
By Marc Lifsher, Los Angeles Times
September 13, 2011
Reporting from Sacramento— Board members and officers of the long-troubled California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the nation’s largest pension fund, could be fined thousands of dollars for not properly reporting gifts received from investment firms.
Saturday, September 10, 2011 – 01:35 p.m.
Republished from Sunday, September 4, 2011
InlandPolitics.com has learned that a contribution to the campaign of San Bernardino County Second District Supervisor Janice Rutherford may be the focus of an investigation by the California Fair Political Practices Commission and possibly the San Bernardino County District Attorney.
By David Siders
dsiders@sacbee.com
Published: Thursday, Jul. 21, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
Gov. Jerry Brown has seized uncommon influence over the political watchdog agency he helped create almost four decades ago as an independent body.
California Watch
A Project of the Center for Investigative Reporting
Money and Politics
June 9, 2011 | Chase Davis
Last week was a busy one for state legislators, who scrambled to act on hundreds of bills before the midterm deadline to pare back their list of legislation to act on this summer.
It was also a busy week for campaign finance and government ethics watchdogs. Buried amid the flurry of votes cast last week were at least five bills that could change the state’s ethics and disclosure requirements in subtle but meaningful ways.
PolitiCal
On politics in the Golden State
June 6, 2011 | 6:12 pm
The state’s ethics agency has rejected a request by the Los Angeles County Democratic Party to investigate whether former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger violated any state laws during an affair with a housekeeper that resulted in his fathering a child.
Cabriales
May 29, 2011 9:38 PM
Brooke Edwards
VICTORVILLE • City records show Mayor Pro Tem Rudy Cabriales voted to approve $55,000 in sponsorships over the last eight years to the High Desert Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a nonprofit headed up by his wife.
Stone
By PE Politics
May 26, 2011 4:42 PM
Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone has agreed to pay $16,000 for failing to properly report $84,052 in contributions to his 2010 campaign for state Senate.
By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times
May 27, 2011
Reporting from Sacramento — Companies lobbying state lawmakers for favorable treatment can continue to shower them with tickets to Disneyland, Dodgers games and rock concerts after legislators scuttled a bill Thursday that would have banned such gifts.
By Jon Ortiz
jortiz@sacbee.com
Published: Tuesday, May. 24, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
Last Modified: Tuesday, May. 24, 2011 – 7:00 am
Three CalPERS board members and dozens of current and former fund executives are under investigation by the state’s political watchdog agency over allegations that they failed to accurately report gifts in keeping with state law.
By Paresh Dave
pdave@sacbee.com
Published: Tuesday, May. 24, 2011 – 12:00 am | Page 3A
A giant gorilla clawing at the Capitol amid a gust of floating $100 bills was one of the leading images on the Fair Political Practices Commission website on new chairwoman Ann Ravel’s first day on the job.
Not anymore. The image, created when Ross Johnson was chairman in 2008, is gone from the website.
12:10 AM PDT on Sunday, May 22, 2011
By JEFF HORSEMAN
The Press-Enterprise
PDFs: Read complaints against Rancho California Water District board members Steve Corona | Ben Drake
A senior staff member at the Rancho California Water District is accusing two board members of hiding or ignoring conflicts of interest between their private lives and public responsibilities.
Mayor Pro Tem’s wife calls Valles a ‘blood-sucking tick’
May 18, 2011 4:52 PM
Brooke Edwards
VICTORVILLE • Councilwoman Angela Valles has asked the San Bernardino County Grand Jury, the county’s District Attorney and the U.S. Attorney General to join the state Attorney General in looking into potential conflict of interest concerns involving Mayor Pro Tem Rudy Cabriales.
Valles
Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 05/16/2011 08:01:44 PM PDT
Victorville Councilwoman Angela Valles has asked the state Attorney General’s Office to investigate a councilman who voted in favor of contracts that benefitted his wife financially.
Valles
May 12, 2011 3:08 PM
Brooke Edwards
Staff Writer
VICTORVILLE • Councilwoman Angela Valles has sent a letter to the state Attorney General’s Opinion Unit, asking the agency to look into a potential conflict of interest regarding Mayor Pro Tem Rudy Cabriales.
Sunday, May 8, 2011 – 11:00 a.m.
We almost missed it ten days ago.
What you ask?
Sunday, May 8, 2011 – 09:30 a.m.
A complaint has been made to a state regulator over the 2008 activity of a local political action committee controlled by a San Bernardino County official.
Cabriales
Agency urges city to consult state Attorney General; McEachron says no
May 07, 2011 8:05 PM
Brooke Edwards
VICTORVILLE • The Fair Political Practices Commission told the city there is “maybe” a conflict of interest involving Mayor Pro Tem Rudy Cabriales and his connection to the High Desert Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, urging the city in a letter sent this week to consult the state Attorney General’s office.
**Administrator’s Note: The story has been republished with expanded material, due to coverage of the death of Usama Bin Laden.
Sunday, May 1, 2011 – 11:50 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, May 3, 2011 – 11:45 p.m.
One of five political action committees county and state prosecutors say was the recipient of $400,000 in alleged bribes, disguised as political contributions, was used in conjunction with a second committee to wage a campaign against the election of a now embattled county supervisor.
Thursday, April 28, 2011 – 11:35 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, April 28, 2011 – 02:20 p.m.
Former San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Dennis Hansberger has been busy these days trying to re-emerge in local politics.
Taking every opportunity to criticize and Monday night quarterback.
Josh Dulaney, Staff Writer
Posted: 04/27/2011 08:44:36 PM PDT
When the state Attorney General’s Office filed criminal charges Tuesday against Supervisor Neil Derry for allegedly laundering money through a political action committee, it marked the second time in two years that a San Bernardino County official was hit with charges for campaign disclosure violations under the Political Reform Act.
But experts say the action – which highlights various facets of campaign law – isn’t that common.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011 – 08:10 p.m.
Why all the effort to make it look like Attorney General Kamala Harris handled the investigation leading to the charges filed against San Bernardino County Third District Supervisor Neil Derry?
Cabriales
April 14, 2011 4:11 PM
Brooke Edwards
VICTORVILLE • The city has asked the Fair Political Practices Commission for advice in a possible conflict of interest claim involving Mayor Pro Tem Rudy Cabriales and his connection to the High Desert Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
California Watch
A Project of the Center for Investigative Reporting
Money and Politics
April 14, 2011 | Chase Davis
California’s campaign watchdog organization handed down one of its larger fines in recent memory earlier this week when it officially approved a $60,000 penalty for potato magnate Larry Minor. Minor pleaded guilty in February to money laundering charges in connection with a scheme to filter campaign contributions through friends and associates.
10:26 PM PDT on Monday, April 11, 2011
By JIM MILLER
Sacramento Bureau
SACRAMENTO – California’s political ethics agency Monday approved a $60,000 fine against Inland potato producer Larry Minor, who confessed to illegally making tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of campaign contributions in the names of others.
By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times
April 2, 2011
Reporting from Sacramento— The chairman of the state tax board violated campaign finance rules when he didn’t disclose his involvement in a contentious Inglewood school board race and faces fines of $13,000, according to state ethics officials.
L.A. NOW
Southern California — this just in
April 1, 2011 | 2:33 pm
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has agreed to pay nearly $42,000 in fines to resolve state and city investigations into his practice of accepting tickets to sports events, concerts and pricey entertainment activities without reporting them as gifts, officials said Friday.
By PE News
on March 15, 2011 8:57 AM
The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians near San Bernardino has ended its relationship with Sacramento lobbyist Frank Molina, who faces tens of thousands of dollars in fines for failing to file lobbying reports.
The action was listed in today’s edition of the Capitol Morning Report.
James Rufus Koren, Staff Writer
Posted: 03/06/2011 10:25:59 PM PST
California’s political watchdog has released annual reports showing the gifts given to state lawmakers as well as their investments and income.
The forms, called statements of economic interest, show most San Bernardino County lawmakers are well-invested and commonly receive gifts from interest groups.
A changing of the guard at California’s political ethics headquarters has spawned a dispute over whether the push for transparency in government has gone too far in cases of politicians accused of misconduct.
By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times
March 7, 2011
Reporting from Sacramento —
A new debate has Capitol watchers asking a provocative question: In a state where mudslinging is routine and elected officials are disdained by many voters, will even politicians be presumed innocent?
California Watch
A Project of the Center for Investigative Reporting
Money and Politics
March 3, 2011 | Chase Davis
Once the grand jury got together, it didn’t take long for Larry Minor to fold.
Less than 24 hours after his indictment last month, the Southern California agribusiness mogul pleaded guilty to charges that he funneled money through friends and family to circumvent the state’s campaign contribution limits.
Ravel
Fair Political Practices Commission Chairwoman Ann Ravel says she shares politicians’ concerns about the agency’s practice of posting complaints on its website and may ask that complaints be kept off the site until they are substantiated.
By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times
February 23, 2011
Reporting from Sacramento —
The new chief of the state’s campaign finance watchdog agency said she may try to keep complaints of wrongdoing against public officials off the Web until they have been substantiated.
PolitiCal
On politics in the Golden State
February 22, 2011 | 12:48 pm
Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday appointed a high-level federal attorney to become chairwoman of the state Fair Political Practices Commission, which oversees and enforces the state’s campaign finance and ethics laws.
Posted: Monday, February 21, 2011 6:24 pm | Updated: 8:22 pm, Mon Feb 21, 2011.
NORBERTO SANTANA, JR. Voice of OC
Tuesday, February 22, 2010 | The state’s Fair Political Practices Commission has launched an investigation into whether contacts former State Senator Dick Ackerman made with current legislators on behalf of the Orange County Fair Board constituted illegal lobbying.
10:00 PM PST on Friday, February 18, 2011
By RICHARD K. DE ATLEY
The Press-Enterprise
Sarah Minor wasn’t sure what Jeff Stone did in politics — she thought the Riverside County supervisor was a state senator — but in 2009 she wrote a $3,900 campaign contribution check to him because her father-in-law and Agri-Empire chief Larry Minor asked her to do it.
He reimbursed Sarah and husband Andy — Larry’s son — who also made a $3,900 contribution.
By Joe Nelson Staff Writer
Posted: 02/17/2011 09:36:48 PM PST
The state Fair Political Practices Commission has decided that a $30,000 fine is too small for a San Manuel tribal lobbyist and former legislative aide who failed to report $840,000 in lobbying payments over a two-year period.
Stone
By PE Politics
on February 16, 2011 11:04 AM
Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone’s unsuccessful Senate campaign raised almost $204,000 in June 2009, when authorities allege that “potato baron” Larry Minor arranged contributions to Stone and illegally reimbursed the donors.
Minor reached a plea deal Wednesday. Stone has not been charged with any wrongdoing.
11:00 PM PST on Wednesday, February 16, 2011
By RICHARD K. DE ATLEY and DUANE W. GANG
The Press-Enterprise
PDF: Read the indictment of Larry Minor
Agri-Empire chief Larry Minor cannot make political contributions for three years and will pay a $60,000 fine to the state Fair Political Practices Commission in a plea bargain Wednesday to end his campaign contribution money-laundering case.
The 14-count indictment, secretly issued in December, was announced Tuesday and settled less than 24 hours later.
By PE Politics
on February 16, 2011 11:30 AM
PDF: Read the indictment of Larry Minor
Larry Minor, 70, of San Jacinto, reached a plea agreement with prosecutors this morning to charges that he laundered campaign contributions and conspired to violate the state’s Political Reform Act.
PolitiCal
On politics in the Golden State
February 10, 2011 | 3:14 pm
A Sacramento tribal lobbyist and former legislative aide who failed to file quarterly disclosure statements for three years should have known better, state Fair Political Practices commissioners said Thursday.
Frank J. Molina, who represents Indian tribes with casinos in Southern California, could face $50,000 in fines after commissioners balked at settling the case with a $30,000 penalty.
By PE Politics
on January 31, 2011 7:11 PM
The Sacramento lobbyist for a prominent Inland Southern California gaming tribe has agreed to a $30,000 fine by California’s political ethics agency. The Fair Political Practices Commission is scheduled to act on the fine at its Feb. 10 meeting.
10:00 PM PST on Friday, January 28, 2011
By JIM MILLER
Sacramento Bureau
SACRAMENTO – Someday, a Hemet resident sitting at a home computer will be able to enter the name of a local company and get a list of every political donation the business has made — not just to local candidates but to others around the state.
By Ryan Hagen Staff Writer
Posted: 01/13/2011 07:06:56 AM PST
COLTON – The police association violated campaign law by failing to register as a Political Action Committee or file campaign disclosure statements, a complaint by the community activist group Citizens for Colton First alleges.
The state Fair Political Practices Commission says that it will investigate the allegations.
12:46 AM PST on Saturday, December 18, 2010
By IMRAN GHORI
The Press-Enterprise
Special Section: San Bernardino Co. Probe
An environmental group is raising questions about a California Fish and Game commissioner’s ties to a San Bernardino County corruption investigation.
The Los Angeles-based Endangered Habitats League filed a complaint with the state Fair Political Practices Commission in October, alleging that Dan Richards failed to disclose potential conflicts of interest on state forms. The commission dismissed the complaint.
District Attorney Mike Ramos
Sunday, December 5, 2010 – 01:30 p.m.
Last week another round of perjury for San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos.
Last week another list of excuses and deflections by his biggest defender.
Ramos
District attorney, campaign treasurer to pay $2,500 fine
BY NATASHA LINDSTROM
STAFF WRITER
SAN BERNARDINO • The state campaign watchdog has imposed a $2,500 fine on District Attorney Michael Ramos and his treasurer for failing to itemize campaign credit card charges on Ramos’ public disclosure form.
The California Fair Political Practices Commission found Ramos and his campaign treasurer, Marvin Reiter, had committed technical violations by failing to disclose required vendor information for nine credit card expenditures on the District Attorney’s Dec. 31, 2009 semi-annual campaign report.
Monday, November 29, 2010 – 11:00 p.m.
Last Updated: November 30, 2010 – 06:45 a.m.
Well…well….well…….
San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos caught again by state regulators.
Ramos
Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 11/29/2010 07:14:56 PM PST
San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael A. Ramos and his campaign committee treasurer have each agreed to pay a $2,500 fine for failing to report expenditures on campaign finance forms last year.
Under a stipulated agreement with the state Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), Ramos and Marvin Reiter will pay the administrative penalties imposed by the commission.
Saturday, November 27, 2010 – 07:35 a.m.
The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) has issued a warning letter to Hesperia politico Al Vogler.
A complaint had previously been filed against Vogler for the placement of a political billboard not containing a proper legal disclaimer identifying the source who funded the sign.
By Malcolm Maclachlan | 11/18/10 12:00 AM PST
The Nov. 2 election set new spending records again in California, with the state’s two political watchdog agencies scrambling to keep track of hundreds of candidates and committees — and levying fines on them when they don’t comply.
Both the secretary of state’s office and the Fair Political Practices Commission have been trying to collect outstanding fines in recent months. But filers still owe $2.3 million, and it appears likely that much of that money will never be collected.
Politics Blog
Posted By: Marisa Lagos | November 15 2010 at 05:40 PM
As the vote counting in the attorney general race continues — as well as bickering among the campaigns — we have some real news to report: The state’s campaign finance watchdog confirmed today that it has launched an investigation into Steve Cooley’s gift-taking in recent years — a practice detailed in The Chronicle.
The FPPC’s investigation, however, is not an indication that the agency believes Cooley has done anything wrong.
State’s Fair Political Practices Commission extends the regulations already in place for print, TV and radio advertising.
By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times
November 13, 2010
Reporting from Sacramento —
Political ads sent by text message or placed on websites will have to include a message to voters disclosing who is behind them under new rules approved Friday by the state’s campaign watchdog agency.
Pringle
November 12th, 2010, 10:50 am · posted by Andrew Galvin
Curt Pringle, the soon-to-be-former mayor of Anaheim who is also chairman of the California High Speed Rail Authority, says he thinks an investigation into foreign trips taken by five rail authority officials — including Pringle — can be cleared up once the authority files appropriate disclosures.
“Hopefully the authority will rectify the situation by filing the necessary forms in as quick a manner as possible,” Pringle said in an interview with OC Watchdog on Friday.
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