82Marine89
01-13-2008, 06:42 PM
SACRAMENTO – The state's political watchdog agency has imposed a $55,000 fine against the Latino Builders Association for 11 counts of laundering contributions to candidates running for office in Chula Vista, National City and San Diego.
The association's director, Jose Mireles, engineered a scheme to evade campaign laws by directing employees and business associates to make contributions to candidates that were later reimbursed by the Latino Builders Association, according to the Fair Political Practices Commission.
The commission, which enforces state contribution and disclosure laws, imposed the maximum fine of $5,000 for each of the counts Thursday.
“Concealing the true source of campaign contributions is one of the most egregious violations of the Political Reform Act,” said Roman Porter, spokesman for the Fair Political Practices Commission. “Citizens have a fundamental right to know who's engaged in political activity.”
The 11 contributions totaled $2,600 and were donated to eight candidates.
The San Diego-based association assists minority businesses in securing government contracts and makes sure that government agencies comply with minority hiring practices.
What happened? The state Fair Political Practices Commission concluded that the Latino Builders Association illegally laundered campaign funds to eight candidates from 2001 to 2004. The contributions totaled $2,600, and the organization was fined $55,000.
Investigators from the Fair Political Practices Commission found that at the time he was directing employees and business associates to donate to political candidates, Mireles made similar contributions of his own to the same candidates.
This was evidence that “he was aware of the prohibition of making contributions through other persons without disclosing the true source of the contribution,” the commission said in papers detailing the fine.
Further, the commission said Mireles must have been aware that Chula Vista and San Diego ban contributions from corporations such as the Latino Builders Association.
Democrat fraud story continued at LINK... (http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080112-9999-1m12fine.html)
Who received the money? Former San Diego City Councilman Ralph Inzunza, DEMOCRAT former Assemblyman Juan Vargas of San Diego,DEMOCRAT former National City Mayor Nick Inzunza,DEMOCRAT former Chula Vista Mayor Steve Padilla,DEMOCRAT Chula Vista City Councilman Steve Castaneda,DEMOCRAT Chula Vista City Council candidate Bob Griego,DEMOCRAT Sweetwater Union High School District board member Greg Sandoval and San Ysidro School District trustee Raquel Márquez-Maden.
Mireles did not return a phone call seeking comment.
The association's director, Jose Mireles, engineered a scheme to evade campaign laws by directing employees and business associates to make contributions to candidates that were later reimbursed by the Latino Builders Association, according to the Fair Political Practices Commission.
The commission, which enforces state contribution and disclosure laws, imposed the maximum fine of $5,000 for each of the counts Thursday.
“Concealing the true source of campaign contributions is one of the most egregious violations of the Political Reform Act,” said Roman Porter, spokesman for the Fair Political Practices Commission. “Citizens have a fundamental right to know who's engaged in political activity.”
The 11 contributions totaled $2,600 and were donated to eight candidates.
The San Diego-based association assists minority businesses in securing government contracts and makes sure that government agencies comply with minority hiring practices.
What happened? The state Fair Political Practices Commission concluded that the Latino Builders Association illegally laundered campaign funds to eight candidates from 2001 to 2004. The contributions totaled $2,600, and the organization was fined $55,000.
Investigators from the Fair Political Practices Commission found that at the time he was directing employees and business associates to donate to political candidates, Mireles made similar contributions of his own to the same candidates.
This was evidence that “he was aware of the prohibition of making contributions through other persons without disclosing the true source of the contribution,” the commission said in papers detailing the fine.
Further, the commission said Mireles must have been aware that Chula Vista and San Diego ban contributions from corporations such as the Latino Builders Association.
Democrat fraud story continued at LINK... (http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20080112-9999-1m12fine.html)
Who received the money? Former San Diego City Councilman Ralph Inzunza, DEMOCRAT former Assemblyman Juan Vargas of San Diego,DEMOCRAT former National City Mayor Nick Inzunza,DEMOCRAT former Chula Vista Mayor Steve Padilla,DEMOCRAT Chula Vista City Councilman Steve Castaneda,DEMOCRAT Chula Vista City Council candidate Bob Griego,DEMOCRAT Sweetwater Union High School District board member Greg Sandoval and San Ysidro School District trustee Raquel Márquez-Maden.
Mireles did not return a phone call seeking comment.