Aug 1, 2007 11:29 pm US/Pacific
Fine By Me: O.C. Sheriff To Pay $15K Penalty
SANTA ANA, Calif. (CBS) ―
-
-
O.C. Sheriff Mike Carona has agreed to pay a $15,000 fine to settle reporting violations involving personal loans from his 2001-03 campaign.
AP
Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona has agreed to pay a $15,000 fine to settle reporting violations involving personal loans of more than $100,000 from his campaign in 2001-03, his campaign chair said Wednesday.
The settlement is expected to be approved at the Fair Political Practices Commission's Aug. 16 meeting, said Michael Schroeder, Carona's campaign chair.
The campaign had listed the money as repayments of Carona's loans to the campaign and unspecified "officeholder expenses" reimbursements to Carona, including money for meals, travels and other costs.
The errors were deemed not "intentional or deliberate," Schroeder said, nor were they deemed the result of "an improper effort to gain political advantage."
The commission had received a complaint that Carona had not clearly documented why he was getting the funds.
Schroeder said a commission stipulation said the campaign had attempted to itemize officeholder expenses in an effort to make full disclosure.
The stipulation arose out of the question as to whether not reporting expenses advanced by Carona as loans rather than non-monetary contributions would have the effect of inadvertently overstating the committee's reported cash on hand.
Schroeder said the campaign committee "has correctly reported since 2003 and has timely reimbursed all officeholder expenses in the last four years."
Schroeder said the commission also issued a written finding that there was "insufficient evidence" that the campaign violated the Political Reform Act stemming from $25,000 in contributions reimbursed by Charles Gabbard.
The Newport Beach businessman, who was trying to market a device that would help law enforcement stop fleeing vehicles in high-speed chases, earlier admitted giving company stock to donors in 2000 in exchange for contributions
to Carona's campaign.
Schroeder said Carona "self-reported" this in August 2004, and asked for guidance. He said the FPPC has ruled that Friends of Mike Carona is free to keep the contributions if it so chooses.
However, Carona previously committed to put the money aside and donate it to charity if it did not have to be sent to the state. Schroeder said it will be donated within the next 12 months.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
