CA: Complaint accuses Nuñez of misusing charity (funds for political purposes)

LA Times ^ | 1/23/08 | Nancy Vogel and Evan Halper

[NormsRevenge]

SACRAMENTO -- A complaint filed with state ethics officials Tuesday accused Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez of using a charity to illegally funnel donations into political activities.

The complaint cites more than $270,000 that Nuñez solicited in 2005 and 2006 from corporations, utilities and other interests with a stake in legislation to pay for toy giveaways, scholarships, youth summits and other events that featured Nuñez and were arranged by his staff.

The donations were the subject of a Times investigation in November, which showed how a small charity -- Collective Space -- in Nuñez's downtown Los Angeles district wrote checks at the direction of the speaker's staff for events that benefited his constituents.

In a complaint filed with the Fair Political Practices Commission, the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights accused Nuñez of dodging state restrictions on campaign donations by asking donors to give to the nonprofit, then using the money for his political benefit.

"The speaker and Collective Space claim it was only a 'conduit' for the speaker's funds," wrote foundation Executive Director Doug Heller in the complaint. "If this is the case, the contributions were never intended for the charity and should be considered direct donations to the speaker and his events."

Heller asked the ethics panel to either punish Nuñez or close "a glaring loophole" in state campaign finance rules.

The Fair Political Practices Commission has 14 days to determine if it will investigate the complaint or request more time to do so.

--snip--

"People can file complaints every day of the week about whatever they want to file complaints about," said Nuñez, adding that there was nothing illegal or unethical about his work with Collective Space.

[NormsRevenge]

[WayneS]

A politician misusing funds?

I’m shocked; SHOCKED I say!