It’s a truism about politics that money follows power.
And in California, those with money who want to influence those with lawmaking power have myriad legal ways of doing so. Individuals, companies and special interests looking to curry favor with elected officials can donate to reelection campaign accounts through political action committees, give gifts, pay for exotic travel, and wine and dine officials all within limits set in law.
There are indirect ways to buy goodwill too, often without limits; one of the most troubling is through the use of “behested payments.” That’s when elected officials ask donors to give to a specific nonprofit or government program. The only legal requirement is that donations over $5,000 be reported to the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission.
Editorial: Charitable donations are a form of influence-peddling And they should be stopped msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Silicon Valley education leader pays legal fees with campaign funds
May 13, 2021
The Santa Clara County Board of Education is pictured in this file photo. Photo by David Alexander.
After dropping a lawsuit against the Santa Clara County Board of Education, Trustee Joseph Di Salvo had one last thing to wrap up: legal fees, which he paid off with campaign funds.
According to Di Salvo’s latest campaign statement covering Oct. 18 to Dec. 31, 2020, he owes $4,885 to law firm Berliner & Cohen, which represented him when he sued the district in August after being censured in a split vote in July. He eventually dropped the suit in September.Di Salvo Form 460 Page 17 of 23
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After Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti took office in 2013, he helped launch a charity fund that allows donors to support diverse programs from environmental initiatives to youth employment.
Since then, Garcetti has reported raising more than $60 million from corporations, foundations, and individuals for the nonprofit Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles. A Times data analysis found that at least $3.8 million of that total came from contributors who gave through accounts that mask their identity, a practice that alarms ethics watchdogs who say such donations skirt a state law intended to make those donors’ names public.
These contributors used donor-advised funds, a type of charitable giving account offered by some nonprofit foundations and for-profit investment firms that provide a generous tax deduction and, when requested, anonymity.
Galt City Council members chafed at state regulations during their May 4 regular meeting as they moved forward on the housing portion of the city’s general plan. In addition, Council