With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
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.
-
In December 2020, Sadie and Eddie Martinez were falsely accused of attempted kidnapping by a white woman. This is the story of Sadie's fight to clear their names and bring her accuser to justice.
-
The vibrant neighborhood crams 700 restaurants into a roughly two-mile radius, while many workers cram themselves into overcrowded apartments.
-
It's not just any hedge. It's the one that appeared in the 1978 classic horror film, "Halloween."
-
Two amateur bakers take on a beloved, almost sacrosanct school treasure.
-
For the first time in 17 years, the Dodgers did not win a single postseason game — and fans unleashed the memes.
-
An Orange County public defender has tallied 57 tainted criminal cases stemming from the county's informant scandal. New revelations of alleged misconduct could affect dozens more.