Kevin Shelley

Employees of Secretary of State Kevin Shelley were routinely directed to pick up and process his personal political contributions as part of their state-paid jobs, according to sources familiar with the operation of his branch office here. Shelley is already the focus of state and federal investigations involving campaign contributions and the way he has administered contracts.

When Secretary of State Bruce McPherson recently called on the state to sue his predecessor, he said disgraced Democrat Kevin Shelley's misdeeds would cost California taxpayers nearly $3 million in misspent federal election dollars. But in appeals from his office to a federal elections commission nearly a year ago, McPherson's staff argued that a third of that amount was properly spent. McPherson said his office at that time was trying to lower the amount the state would be forced to repay.

Federal authorities on Monday seized $308,000 from a nonprofit group whose director is under investigation for allegedly funneling illegal campaign contributions to Secretary of State Kevin Shelley, state officials reported. State Controller Steve Westly said the action was taken because the San Francisco Neighbors Resource Center failed to meet a Monday deadline to provide the state with proof that it properly spent a $492,000 grant Shelley had helped arrange when he was a state assemblyman.

The federal government on Friday ordered California to give back $536,000, saying that funds allocated to improve elections were misused by former Secretary of State Kevin Shelley. A federal audit found that Shelley either misspent or didn't properly account for more than $3 million of the $8 million reviewed. The federal government also ordered $2.5 million to be returned to state election coffers. Much of the $536,000 that federal elections officials ordered returned to the U.S.

A fundraiser accused of diverting $125,000 from a state grant into former Secretary of State Kevin Shelley's campaign coffers pleaded not guilty Monday to eight felony and two misdemeanor charges. Julie Lee, a Shanghai native and political power broker in San Francisco's Chinese American community, also resigned as a commissioner of the San Francisco Housing Authority, said her attorney, Steven Gruel.

Outgoing Secretary of State Kevin Shelley has extended his departure date, which was originally set for today, until the the end of the week, citing "purposes of administrative convenience." Shelley announced Feb. 4 that he was resigning at month's end. Federal and state officials are probing how his office spent federal funds intended to increase voting turnout, as well as whether his campaign received improper contributions. To replace Shelley, Gov.

California Republican Party officials called on the Federal Election Commission on Monday to investigate whether Secretary of State Kevin Shelley spent federal voter-turnout money in a partisan manner. Republicans complained about federal funds going to individuals and businesses with political ties to Shelley, a Democrat. Shelley has acknowledged hiring some people whose work he knew to quickly prepare for the Nov. 2 election, but he denied improprieties.

Beleaguered Secretary of State Kevin Shelley does not plan to resign from office and is expected to testify before a legislative panel next week on charges he mishandled federal voter funds, a spokesman said Wednesday as the Legislature drew up rules for a lengthy investigation. "The secretary does not intend to resign," his campaign spokesman, Sam Singer, said. "He says there is much to be done in his office and he plans to carry out his duties."

Longtime civic leader Thelma Shelley -- widow of a San Francisco mayor and mother of Secretary of State Kevin Shelley -- died Friday in a San Francisco hospital after a brief illness, a spokesman for Kevin Shelley announced. She was 84. Thelma Shelley, who helped run some of the city's most important cultural institutions for two decades, had been hospitalized with pneumonia since Feb. 2.

Re "Secretary of State Shelley Steps Down," Feb. 5: I used to wonder, what does a statewide secretary of state do? Is it an important job? Since Katherine Harris, Florida's secretary of state, brought us a troubled election in 2000, and Kenneth Blackwell, secretary of state in Ohio, presided over election irregularities in 2004, I have answered my own question. The job is very important. Whether or not the accusations made against him are true, Kevin Shelley, as secretary of state, clearly acted to ensure the fairness of our elections.

A fundraiser accused of diverting $125,000 from a state grant into former Secretary of State Kevin Shelley's campaign coffers pleaded not guilty Monday to eight felony and two misdemeanor charges. Julie Lee, a Shanghai native and political power broker in San Francisco's Chinese American community, also resigned as a commissioner of the San Francisco Housing Authority, said her attorney, Steven Gruel.

A fundraiser for former Secretary of State Kevin Shelley surrendered to authorities Friday after being charged with funneling $125,000 of taxpayer money into Shelley's campaign account. The funds came from a state grant Shelley had helped secure to build a San Francisco neighborhood center.

Outgoing Secretary of State Kevin Shelley has extended his departure date, which was originally set for today, until the the end of the week, citing "purposes of administrative convenience." Shelley announced Feb. 4 that he was resigning at month's end. Federal and state officials are probing how his office spent federal funds intended to increase voting turnout, as well as whether his campaign received improper contributions. To replace Shelley, Gov.

The showdown in which lawmakers were expected to confront Secretary of State Kevin Shelley fizzled Tuesday, with fellow Democrats declining to question him about his handling of election funds because he now plans to resign. Instead, state Auditor Elaine M.

Longtime civic leader Thelma Shelley -- widow of a San Francisco mayor and mother of Secretary of State Kevin Shelley -- died Friday in a San Francisco hospital after a brief illness, a spokesman for Kevin Shelley announced. She was 84. Thelma Shelley, who helped run some of the city's most important cultural institutions for two decades, had been hospitalized with pneumonia since Feb. 2.

Re "Secretary of State Shelley Steps Down," Feb. 5: I used to wonder, what does a statewide secretary of state do? Is it an important job? Since Katherine Harris, Florida's secretary of state, brought us a troubled election in 2000, and Kenneth Blackwell, secretary of state in Ohio, presided over election irregularities in 2004, I have answered my own question. The job is very important. Whether or not the accusations made against him are true, Kevin Shelley, as secretary of state, clearly acted to ensure the fairness of our elections.

California Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer moved Friday to dissolve a nonprofit community center here, alleging that it illegally channeled state construction grant money to Secretary of State Kevin Shelley's campaign. In a San Francisco Superior Court petition, Lockyer said the San Francisco Neighbors Resource Center, headed by Shelley fundraiser Julie Lee, apparently diverted charitable assets to make $125,000 in contributions to Shelley's 2002 campaign.

The head of a legislative committee investigating California's handling of federal election funds gave Secretary of State Kevin Shelley a two-day extension Tuesday to decide whether he will testify voluntarily. Assemblywoman Nicole Parra (D-Hanford) told Shelley she would seek a subpoena if he does not agree by 10 a.m. Thursday to testify before the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, which she leads.

Though his wide grin belied a furious temper, Kevin Shelley -- son of a congressman and protege of a political legend -- had been the darling of San Francisco Democrats until his future swerved out of control. In a year, accolades that Shelley earned for smoothly steering the first election to recall a California governor were overtaken by accusations that he broke laws, berated employees and ran a sloppy office as secretary of state.

Buffeted by investigations into his campaign finances and official conduct, Secretary of State Kevin Shelley announced his resignation Friday, saying he could no longer adequately run California's elections office. One of the state's highest-ranking officials who only two years ago was considered a rising star in Democratic politics, a somber Shelley was near tears as he faced television cameras.