FPPC following up on three campaign finance violation complaints against Thorpe
By Allen D. Payton
According to Jay Wierenga, Public Information Officer for the state Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) in an email on Monday, May 2, 2022, “three, anonymous complaints were received regarding the Mayor of Antioch. This is all that is releasable at this time. I/we can’t and don’t comment on complaints or investigations, but my office can answer general, procedural questions.”
The complaints allege Lamar Thorpe has not filed campaign finance reports showing contributions to and expenditures by his Stop the #KAREN Recall of Lamar Thorpe committee.
“All complaints received by FPPC Enforcement Division are taken under review to determine whether to open an investigation,” Wierenga continued. “Fact-gathering during this process is not an investigation.” “All complaints are reviewed to determine their merit, if there is enough information, facts, evidence provided to indicate any potential (potential) violation of the Political Reform Act. If not, complaints are dismissed (and can be resubmitted if any new, additional, pertinent information is included). If so, then an investigation begins.
The review usually takes a few days to a few weeks, with an addition 14 days available as an extension if Enforcement so determines.”
The FPPC sent letters on April 26 to Thorpe and his campaign committee, for each of the three complaints giving them 14 days to respond. One of the letters was also addressed to Thorpe’s committee treasurer, Vicki Robinson.
The IBEW 302 PAC Form 460 page campaign finance report showing the $2,500 contribution to Thorpe’s Stop the Karen Recall Committee. Source: FPPP complaint #COM-04262022-01154
The three complaints contain the following accusations:
FPPC Complaint No. COM-04112022-01033 COM-04112022-01033
Campaign Statements Not Filed; Not Filed Online (84605)
Lamar Thorpe claimed to have received $80,000 in contributions to fight a recall”
FPPC Complaint No. COM-04172022-01087 COM-04172022-01087
Campaign Statements Not Filed
No form 460 filed for contributions and he has claimed to have received $80k
FPPC Complaint No. COM-04262022-01154 COM-04262022-01154
Campaign Statements Not Filed
Semiannual Statements (84200)
The committee received a contribution in the amount of $2500 in December of
2021 and failed to file a form 460
One complaint included a copy of page from the Form 460 campaign finance report filed by the IBEW 302 Community Candidates PAC showing the previously reported contribution of $2,500 on Dec. 20, 2021. The other two complaints included a screenshot of Thorpe’s posting on his official Facebook page about raising over $80,000, also previously reported. (See related article)
Screenshot of a Jan. 15, 2022, post on Thorpe’s official Facebook page claiming he had raised more than $80,000. Source: FPPC complaints #’s COM-04172022-01087 & COM-04112022-01033
Each of the letters include the following messages from the FPPC:
“The Enforcement Division of the Fair Political Practices Commission enforces the provisions of the Political Reform Act (the “Act”).1 The Enforcement Division received an anonymous complaint alleging that you may have violated the Act’s campaign disclosure provisions.
At this time, we have not made any determination about the allegations made in the complaint. We are requesting information, including documentation, about the allegations described above. Please submit your response in writing within 14 days from the date of this letter…”
The letters also include the reference at the bottom, “1The Political Reform Act is contained in Government Code Sections 81000 through 91014.”
Questions for Thorpe, Householder Go Unanswered
Thorpe and City Clerk Ellie Householder were asked via email late Monday night if they had any comment about the complaints and what Wierenga wrote, and for copies of what he or his treasurer send to the FPPC in response.
Wierenga was then asked, “once a campaign committee has provided the FPPC with the requested documents are those available to the public/media?”
He responded, “No. Any correspondence within an investigation is not public until after a case is closed, when the case file then becomes public with the documents deemed to be releasable.”
“A subnote,” Wierenga continued. “Any documents filed with a filing officer are public through the filing officer/filing agency, just as they would be for anyone else at any time. Campaign finance documents are public documents and must be provided.”
In Antioch, the filing officer is the city clerk.
No response from either Thorpe or Householder was received as of Thursday night, May 5.
Please check back later for any updates to this report.
the attachments to this post:
From FPPC Compliant #’s COM-04172022-01087 & COM-04112022-01033
From COM-04262022-01154_Page_2
From COM-04262022-01154_Page_1
COM-04262022-01154
COM-04172022-01087
COM-04112022-01033
FPPC ltr to Thorpe re Complaint COM-04262022-01154 crop
