Two Arizona-based non-profits must pay California’s largest ever election rules violation penalty. The Fair Political Practices Commission accused them of failing to reveal the donors of an $11 million contribution last year.
Ann Ravel is Chair of the FPPC. She says elections must be transparent to be fair.
“It’s very important that the true donors to campaigns be disclosed. The law requires it and it’s important to the public,” says Ravel.
Americans for Responsible Leadership and the Center to Protect Patients Rights must pay the state one million dollars for funneling money from anonymous donors to anti-tax and anti-union efforts during the November 2012 election.
Malcolm Segal is the attorney for the Center to Protect Patient Rights. He says the group had no intention of breaking the law.
“CPPR acted in good faith and there was never any intention to violate campaign reporting rules,” says Segal.
Meanwhile, the Fair Political Practices Commission says it’s pursuing a $15 million penalty from two other non-profits for violating disclosure rules.