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Look it up: Check candidates and elected officials for campaign law violations
The Fair Political Practices Commission, California’s campaign and ethics watchdog agency, receives thousands of complaints each year and opens hundreds of investigations into elected officials from the local level up to the governor.
Is one of your local elected officials, or a candidate running for office in your area, currently under investigation by the agency? Or were they investigated previously and, if so, what was the outcome? Type in their name below to find out.
One caveat: An investigation does not necessarily indicate wrongdoing. The outcome of an investigation determines whether there was a violation. outcome of the investigation determines whether there was a violation.
A recent CalMatters investigation of commission enforcement data found that:
- 19 of the 305 candidates in California races for state Legislature, U.S. House and U.S. Senate have an open case against them, including an investigation into Congressional candidate Evan Low’s relationship with a policy nonprofit that was opened as a result of CalMatters reporting in 2020.
- Two of the state’s eight constitutional officers are currently under investigation — Gov. Gavin Newsom for late filings and Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara for allegations of “laundered campaign contributions” — and both won re-election in 2022 while their cases were still pending.
- Seven of the eight top constitutional officers — all but Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis — have had past violations, ranging from improper disclosures to illegal campaign contributions, according to commission enforcement records.
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A suspect wounded by police is in custody, according to authorities. Police found another person dead from apparent gunshot wounds at the scene.
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Patricia Krenwinkel has been recommended for parole for a second time since 1971 murder conviction. Under the sway of Charles Manson, his followers committed a series of gruesome murders in 1969. The cult leader's Helter Skelter plan terrorized the city and still fascinates more than 50 years later.
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The city will make presentations at several upcoming gatherings after LAist revealed $700,000 in contracts had been signed outside public view.
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The county planned to send concrete from the Eaton Fire burn area to the Antelope Valley for later use reinforcing roads. The plan was abandoned after community outrage.
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The medical examiner has not yet determined a cause of death. Lucrecia Macias Barajas' family said the encampment where her daughter found her mother's body had been a known problem for many years.
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There are at least two inquiries underway into thousands of contracts handled by Andrew Do over the years related to his time on two powerful Orange County boards.