Athachment to Fair Political Practices Commission Sworn Com laint Form

 

Additional Persons Who Allegedly Violated the Political Reform Act:

Name. California Local Ener --Advancing Renewables
Address:

City: San Die 0 State:CA Zip:92105
Telephoneh

Fax: unknown
Email:

Last Name: Stump
First Name: John
Address:

City: San State: CA Zip: 92105
Telephone.

Fax: unknown
Email:

Describe, With as Much Particularity as Possible, the Facts Constituting the
Alleged Violation(s) and How You Have Personal Knowledge that it
Occurred.

The FPP must ac immediatel -- bef comin lection -- in order
to make certain that before the oublic votes on Measure in San Diego County
the know who is fundin the osition to this ballot measure.

 

On September 12, 2016 an organization named "California Local Energy --
Advancing Renewables" made a $110.000 contribution to "Save Our
Forest and Ranchlands Opposed to Measure a primarily formed
ballot measure committee opposing San Diego County Measure B. (See
attached FPPC Form 460.) Aweek later, SOFAR used these funds to make a
$45,000 contribution to "Citizens and Taxpayers Opposed to Lilac Hills Ranch
Measure (No on Measure Committee"), another committee activer
opposing Measure B.

I already filed a complaint against SOFAR because it clearly solicited
funds to give to the No on Measure Committee without disclosing its donors.
SOFAR has since disclosed its donor -- CLEAR -- but the individuals or entities
who are the true source of these funds are still unknown.

CLEAR is a 501(c)(3) organization based in San Diego, CA and its
Chairman is John Stump. (See attached SOS business search, Cal AG Charity
summary page, IRS Form 990 cover page, and June 7, 2016 letter to the San
Diego City Clerk.)

As you know, multipurpose organizations (such as a 501(c)(3)s) will
qualify as recipient committees by making contributions totaling $50,000 or more
in a 12 month period. (California Government Code section After
qualification, these "calendar year filers" are required to identify their donors
within three business days. (FPPC Regulation The law
presumably requires nonprofits which get involved in ballot measure campaigns
to file reports disclosing their donors within three days so the public can have
information about who is funding a ballot measure effort before they vote.

As of the date of this letter, CLEAR has not filed a FPPC Form 460 or
Form 496 disclosing its donors, even though it contributed well over $50,000 to
SOFAR. (See attached SOS, SD County, and SD City campaign finance search
printouts.) Using a 501(c)(3) organization to avoid revealing the true source of a
political contribution is a blatant violation of the both the letter and spirit of the
Political Reform Act. The FPPC is duty-bound to fiJlfill its mission of ensuring
transparency in the campaign finance system by taking immediate action to
ensure that CLEAR registers as a recipient committee and discloses its
contributors to the public.

At the very least, CLEAR qualified as a "Major Donor" and was required to
file a "24-hour report" disclosing its contribution to the Committee. (Cal. Govt.
Code sections 84203 CLEAR has not yet filed a 24-hour report for
this contribution. (See attached SOS, SD County, and SD City campaign finance
search printouts.)

In light of these blatant violations, the FPPC must compel CLEAR to
register as a political committee, compel them to file applicable campaign reports
disclosing their donors, and levy an appropriate penalty for their violations of
these important public disclosure laws. Because the public has the right to this
information before they go to the polls, the FPPC must act immediately.

By copy of this complaint, I am also asking the Registrar of Voters to levy
a late filing fee for failing to timely file these reports, and also asking the District
Attorney's office to take action against CLEAR and its officers.

Name and Addresses of Potential Vlfitnesses, other than Yourself, if Known:

Last Name: McFetridge
First Name Duncan

Address --

City: Des State: CA Zip: 91916

Fax: unknown
Email:

Last Name: Clark Sanders
First Name: Jana
Address: unknown
City: Descanso
Telephone: unknown
Fax: unknown
Email: unknown

cc:

State: CA

Zip: 91916

San Diego District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis
San Diego Registrar of Voters Michael Vu