New campaign-spending disclosure rules imposed on California politicians
Many elected officials will now have to explain how wining, dining and other expenses are tied to government business.
SACRAMENTO — The state ethics watchdog today made it tougher for politicians to use campaign funds to enhance their lifestyles.
New rules imposed by the Fair Political Practices Commission will force politicians to publicly explain how meals, gifts and out-of-state travel paid for with campaign money are connected to political or governmental business.
The panel's unanimous vote comes four months after The Times revealed that Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles) spent tens of thousands of dollars from special interests and other political donors on overseas travel, meals, wine and high-end retail goods with no obvious connection to his official duties. The new regulations take effect for campaign expenditures after July 1.
In a record response to its usually obscure actions, the commission reported receiving 2,043 letters and 74 phone calls from the public supporting adoption of the new rules. Most were form letters sent by customers of CREDO Mobile, a phone company that urges customers each month to weigh in on state and national issues.
The letters asked the commission to "stop elected officials' misuse of campaign funds."
"Consumers and citizens care about this stuff," said CREDO President Michael Kieschnick, "but they're not usually asked about it in a way they can respond."
State law requires politicians to spend the money they get from citizens, corporations, unions and other donors on things at least "reasonably" related to political or governmental purposes. But until Thursday, they were not required to prove a connection to official business in the periodic spending reports they must make public; campaign expenditures were simply grouped under broad categories such as "office expenses," "meetings and appearances" and "candidate travel."
The new regulations will require officials to name gift recipients and describe the nature of gifts. They must also provide the dates and destinations of out-of-state travel, and disclose whether campaign funds were used to pay for the travel costs of family members or staff.
Similarly, the rules require politicians to describe the number of people at a meal and disclose whether family or staff were among the diners.
In the case of all gift, travel and meal expenditures, politicians must "briefly describe the political, legislative, or governmental purpose of the expenditure."
