PRESS RELEASE
Contact: For release:
John St. Croix
October 19, 2004
(415) 581-2300
SUMMARY OF ACTIONS TAKEN AT OCTOBER 18, 2004 MEETING
At its meeting on
October 18, 2004
, the San Francisco Ethics Commission took the following action:
- Determined not to approve a proposed opinion regarding whether section 1.122 of the San Francisco Campaign and Governmental Conduct Code permits candidates who are seeking election to the Board of Supervisors to use campaign funds to send a mailing containing endorsements of other candidates for second- and third- tier votes. The vote was two in favor of approving the opinion and one not in favor of approving. Because only three members of the Commission attended the meeting, three votes were necessary to approve the proposed advice letter.
- Decided by a vote of 3-0 to enter into a stipulated decision and order with San Franciscans Against the Blank Check – No on D Committee and its treasurer, James R. Sutton, ("Respondents") to settle Complaint No. 49-021130 for $100,000. The case involves the Committee's and Sutton's failure to timely file two late contribution reports to report two late contributions, one for $500,000 and one for $300,000, during the 2002 general election. Sutton and Nielsen, Merksamer, Parrinello, Mueller & Naylor LLP, Sutton's former law firm, have taken full responsibility for failing to file such reports and therefore will pay the fine. Commission staff had worked jointly with the Fair Political Practices Commission ("FPPC") to investigate this complaint. The agreement is contingent upon the Sacramento Superior Court's entry of final judgment for civil penalties against Respondents and PG&E in favor of the FPPC in the case of the Fair Political Practices Commission v. San Franciscans Against the Blank Check – No on D Committee, et al.
The next Ethics Commission meeting will be held on
Monday, November 8, 2004
, at
5:30 p.m.
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The Ethics Commission, established in November 1993, serves the public, City employees and officials and candidates for public office through education and enforcement of ethics laws. Its duties include: filing and auditing of campaign finance disclosure statements, lobbyist and campaign consultant registration and regulation, administration of the public financing program, whistleblower program, conflict of interest reporting, investigations and enforcement, education and training, advice giving and statistical reporting.
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