By Howard Mintz
hmintz@mercurynews.com
Posted: 05/18/2012 05:41:38 AM PDT
Updated: 05/18/2012 05:42:00 AM PDT

California’s judges will now have to post all their financial disclosure information in cyberspace.

In a unanimous decision, the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission on Thursday approved a rule that requires California’s more than 1,700 judges to post their disclosure forms on the Internet, despite objections from judicial leaders that it could jeopardize their privacy and security.

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Published: Friday, May. 4, 2012 – 12:00 am | Page 4A

The director of California’s political watchdog agency is shelving her proposal to require bloggers to disclose payments they receive from political campaigns.

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James Ramos, former chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, with San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos, Wednesday evening at a campaign fundraiser at the National Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino, Calif., May 2, 2012. (Redlands-Loma Linda Patch photo by Guy McCarthy.)

By Guy McCarthy
May 2, 2012

The campaign for James Ramos, candidate for county supervisor in the Third District that includes Redlands and Loma Linda, released part of a letter Wednesday from the Fair Political Practices Commission stating his disclosure of economic interests are appropriate.

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Wednesday, May 2, 2012 – 10:00 a.m.

The flap over the Form 700 – Statements of Economic Disclosure Forms filed by San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors candidate and former San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman James Ramos in his various capacities as San Bernardino Community College District Trustee, State Board of Education Member and San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors candidate, raise really one main question.

Ramos currently functions in all three capacities and recently surrendered his Tribal Chairman title.

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Former San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chairman James Ramos

Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 04/30/2012 05:26:19 PM PDT

View: Complaint

A complaint has been filed against San Bernardino County supervisor candidate and former San Manuel tribal chairman James Ramos, alleging that he failed to report his income and real property interests on state campaign disclosure forms.

The complaint, dated April 3 and received by the state Fair Political Practices Commission on April 12, alleges that Ramos failed to report on his form 700 Statement of Economic Interest a house he owns in Big Bear Lake and shares of stock in Pfizer Inc., a pharmaceutical company, and General Electric Co.

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Capitol Alert
The latest on California politics and government
April 20, 2012

Bracing for a flood of independent expenditures for candidates or causes in this year’s elections, California’s political watchdog agency is seeking to tighten state law to require more personal liability.

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By Jim Sanders
jsanders@sacbee.com
Published: Friday, Apr. 20, 2012 – 12:00 am | Page 3A

Paid political attack dogs always have found safe haven in the free-wheeling anonymity of the Internet, but California is set to challenge that.

The leader of the state’s political watchdog agency said Thursday that she wants bloggers to be required to disclose payments received from campaigns.

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BY JIM MILLER
jmiller@pe.com

Published: 17 April 2012 06:03 PM

SACRAMENTO — Scandal-scarred San Bernardino County wants to become the first local government in California to outsource an ethics program to the state Fair Political Practices Commission.

First, though, the county needs legislation allowing the state watchdog agency to provide the service, and a key deadline is in less than two weeks.

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California game official avoids fine from cougar hunt
The Associated Press
Created: 04/12/2012 03:49:36 PM PDT

California regulators on Thursday issued a warning letter to the president of the state Fish and Game Commission over a mountain lion hunting trip he took earlier this year, but they decided against issuing a fine.

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March 26th, 2012, 11:14 am
Posted by BRIAN JOSEPH, Sacramento Correspondent

Four years ago, the Enforcement Division of the state Fair Political Practices Commission had a sizable backlog of investigations.

The division, which enforces political ethics rules in areas like campaign finance and conflicts of interest, had 263 open cases that were more than two years old in 2008.

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BY LAURIE LUCAS
STAFF WRITER
llucas@pe.com

Published: 15 March 2012 04:04 PM

A state commission has fined a member of the Canyon Lake City Council $6,000 for failing to disqualify himself from three governmental decisions in 2008 and 2009 relating to a proposed halt on hillside development in which he had a financial interest.

The California Fair Political practices Commission in Sacramento penalized Jordan Ehrenkranz, who is now mayor, for violating the Political Reform Act.

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PolitiCal
On politics in the Golden State
March 15, 2012 | 4:31 pm

The state Fair Political Practices Commission decided Thursday to delay posting financial interest statements by 2,500 elected judges on the Internet after representatives said they feared the easy access to personal information would put them in danger.

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Derry

Neil Derry has paid $15,000 in fines since pleading guilty in July
By Joe Nelson, The (San Bernardino County) Sun
Posted: 03/12/2012 12:31:14 PM PDT

The state’s Fair Political Practices Commission is poised to close its file on San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry, who in July pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of failing to report a $5,000 campaign contribution.

The Commission is scheduled to consider the action at its Thursday board meeting.

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Peter Fimrite
Saturday, March 3, 2012
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A formal complaint has been filed accusing the California Fish and Game Commission president who shot a cougar in Idaho of violating California law by accepting a free hunt, complete with dogs and a tracker.

Daniel Richards, a San Bernardino County Republican who has been a commissioner since 2008, killed the cat at a ranch that normally charges thousands for the privilege, according to the complaint filed with the California Fair Political Practices Commission.

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Ethics panel member sends letters to council members who have voted themselves onto local boards that pay stipends up to $5,000.

By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times
February 20, 2012

Reporting from Sacramento— Dozens of city officials throughout California have voted to appoint themselves to local boards that pay stipends of up to $5,000 annually, a practice state watchdogs say violates conflict-of-interest laws.

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The Fair Political Practices Commission has eased restrictions on gifts to lawmakers, called fewer open meetings and stopped notifying the public of pending investigations. Some good-government advocates are angry.

By Patrick McGreevy, Los Angeles Times
February 13, 2012, 9:59 p.m.

Reporting from Sacramento — Three decades after Gov. Jerry Brown played a key role in creating a state political watchdog, the panel — now dominated by his appointees — has retreated from its aggressive approach to ethics enforcement.

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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.

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The California Fair Political Practices Commission loosens restrictions on expensive gifts in cases of lobbyists dating lawmakers and for ceremonial duties at entertainment and sporting events.

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.

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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.

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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.

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Ravel

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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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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.

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A Dubious Explanation!

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.

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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.

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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.

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The move comes in response to a federal investigation of Kinde Durkee, who was arrested in a campaign-embezzlement case.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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A state commission proposes thousands of dollars’ worth of fines be levied on CalPERS board members and officers who didn’t properly report gifts they got from investment firms.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Sunday, May 8, 2011 – 11:00 a.m.

We almost missed it ten days ago.

What you ask?

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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.

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

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**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.

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

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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.

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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?

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

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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.

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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?

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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.

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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