38 lawmakers probed over gift disclosures

Thirty-eight California legislators are under investigation by the Fair Political Practices Commission on suspicion of failing to disclose gifts ranging from expensive meals to concert tickets provided by interest groups.

Roman Porter, FPPC executive director, said public disclosure of such gifts is a crucial part of the political process.

“The public needs to know what financial interests are being provided to legislators by people trying to influence them,” said Bob Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles.

Porter declined to discuss details of the FPPC probe into 2008 records but said it encompasses many thousands of dollars.

The FPPC has not determined that violations have occurred, but if it does, penalties can range from warning letters to fines of $5,000 per violation, Porter said.

Disclosure of the FPPC investigation first was reported Friday by the Associated Press, which obtained through the Public Records Act notification letters sent to 24 Assembly and 14 Senate members.

Affected lawmakers include outgoing Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles; Assemblyman Mike Villines, R-Clovis; Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello; and Sen. George Runner, R-Lancaster, the AP reported.

Runner, Villines and an attorney for Bass conceded to The Bee on Friday that mistakes had been made, prompting amendments to their disclosure statements once the FPPC raised the issue. All claimed their oversight was due partly to a failure by groups to send them a note identifying the value of gifts received.

“We work very hard to make sure we report everything,” Villines said. “We just messed up – there’s no getting around that. And we filed an amendment as soon as (we found out).”

Stephen Kaufman, Bass’ attorney, echoed the mea culpa and said the “bookkeeping error” has been fixed.

“The speaker is a strong believer in full public disclosure, and she takes full responsibility for the fact that these payments did not get reported,” Kaufman said.

The FPPC discovered discrepancies by comparing databases of gifts that lawmakers reported receiving and those that lobbyist employers – groups that attempt to influence legislative decisions – reported giving. Porter said the database check was inspired by a September story in The Bee that analyzed gift-giving disclosures.

Gifts reported by interest groups but not by lawmakers included:

• Villines: A package from AT&T, worth about $250, for Sacramento Kings tickets, a parking pass and refreshments for the then-Assembly GOP leader and his wife. Also, a $120 dinner from the Boeing Co.

• Runner: Tickets to a Keith Urban concert, $60, and a George Strait concert, $56, by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Mission Indians.

• Bass: A $112 dinner at One Market Restaurant, from AT&T; a $95 dinner at Spataro, by the Pechanga Band of Indians; and a $59 dinner at Broiler Steakhouse, by Chevron.

Calderon, current chairman of the Senate’s Banking, Finance and Insurance Committee, reported that the Association of California Life and Health Insurance Companies paid $390 – the maximum allowable in 2008 – for his room, lodging and drinks at the plush Pebble Beach resort.

The insurance group also reported spending $1,076 on Calderon’s wife, Ana, for “meals, drink, spa” during that Pebble Beach weekend.

Rocky Rushing, Calderon’s chief of staff, said the senator is adamant about reporting gifts he receives but is studying the FPPC’s claim that he might have been obligated to report sums spent on his wife that weekend as well.

FPPC rules in 2008 did not require disclosure of gifts to legislators’ spouses, but a key issue will be whether Calderon received a personal benefit from money spent on his wife.

Rushing said the senator “no doubt” will file an amended disclosure statement but has reached no conclusion on the spousal-gift issue.

Runner said he is committed to tightening his office procedures to avoid gift-disclosure mistakes in the future.

By Jim Sanders and Phillip Reese