Nov 242023
 

So, Bill Brough got fined $100,000, not $90,000, by the California Fair Political Practices Commission for violating campaign finance laws.

The tape of the meeting is here. It starts at 12:24 appx. The comments about Brough’s behavior are staggering.

The comments included, “Most Egregious Conduct, Abuses of Public Trust I have ever seen”, and others along the line of it looks like he defaulted because we (the FPPC) have had a terrible record of collecting debts. “Intentional Obstruction”, “Falsifying Records” are other terms you hear used…

At about the 21 Minute Mark, the chairman of the commission talks about how Bill Brough defaulted on the repayment plan. He then talks about Brough hearing about the FPPC collecting less than 3% of items that go in to collections. The chair continues that he thinks Brough decided to stop making his monthly installments. At the 23 Minute mark, the chairman lowers the boom on Bill Brough.

These items are significant for the LA Times article that follows:

Please respect the LA Times Paywall and access the article here.

In the case of the FPPC’s campaign finance investigation, Brough initially agreed to a payment plan for a $47,000 penalty. But after making a payment of $7,500 in April, according to the filing, he stopped making payments. Brough said he stopped making payments in order to enter into a settlement with the FPPC and make the investigation stop.

“It went on and on for four years,” he said. “I just wanted to go on with my life.”

The commission responded by more than doubling the penalty amount, levying the maximum fine for the charges. In a public meeting last week recommending Brough’s fine, FPPC Chairman Richard Miadich increased the fine from a recommended $90,000 to $100,000 and made the unusual motion to direct staff “to make this a priority matter for collections purposes and to pursue any and all means at your disposal to ensure we recover the full measure of this default.”

Note Bill Brough’s dishonesty in his comments to the LA Times. If you watch the comments of the chairman of the FPPC, they believed as did the investigators that Brough stopped making payments because he thought he’d evade collections. Brough has learned nothing from his fall, and apparently he has enablers that got him a job as a lobbyist/consultant in Orange County as well.

…The FPPC, which oversees candidates and campaign finances, found multiple discrepancies in the reports from Brough’s 2018 and 2020 campaign committees.

Brough used a total of $17,303 in campaign funds for personal expenses and failed multiple record-keeping requirements, even as his campaign treasurer warned him about violations, according to the FPPC’s report.

“I need all of your receipts ASAP — you’ve gone mad with the [credit] card use and I have one silly receipt for every ten expenses,” treasurer JenEve Slater wrote to Brough in 2018, the FPPC investigation found.

The unusually large FPPC fine is the latest allegation of misconduct against Brough, who was accused of sexual harassment by four women in 2019, prompting Orange County Republicans to call for him to not run for reelection. Brough said in a phone interview with The Times on Tuesday that he is no longer in electoral politics, though he works as a political consultant and lobbyist.

When I spoke to the reporter at the LA Times, I was explicit that I felt this was only partial justice because I believe that Bill Brough raped at least one woman, beyond the sexual harassment mentioned in the article. Given that the victim is still awaiting justice and the case shows open/suspended at the County of Sac there is no way to FOIA the records around it.

Back to the LA Times:

Another international trip brought Brough to the Netherlands for an Internet Marketing Assn. conference. After attending a two-hour conference, which ended with tastings at a local bar, Brough spent several days touring the area, according to the documents.

“Investigation revealed that Brough was visiting the region with his wife, for her birthday — and he asked the IMA if he could stop by … while he was in the area,” the FPPC document said.

In another instance, the FPPC reported that Brough used campaign funds to purchase a $1,300 custom cigar humidor, a custom bourbon barrel bar cabinet, a portable ice maker and a compact refrigerator, which he listed as office expenses but then took home when he left the Assembly.

The FPPC investigation began in 2019, after conservative political consultant Aaron Park filed a complaint, alleging that the politician had used campaign funds to pay for a trip to Boston with his family to attend a Red Sox game, as well as other extravagant spending.

He’s a victim of a witch hunt, I tell you. Cha-Ching another $5K fine.

Park told The Times on Tuesday that he had helped Brough get elected but soon changed his mind about the assemblyman once he heard allegations about campaign finance impropriety as well as sexual assaults.

Yep – there’s that $5000-fine-inducing Bourbon Barrell. (Photo was taken at Brough’s forced-retirement party at his capitol office)

Brough was stripped of his committee assignments in the Legislature in 2020, after a state investigation found that he had made unwanted advances on several women, including an Orange County supervisor.

Park, a political watchdog, began digging into Brough’s financial history and, after 20 hours of research, filed a complaint with the FPPC.

“I’m seeing stuff on his social media like the Red Sox game that he went to, and it corresponds to campaign expenditures and stuff like that out of his controlled accounts,” Park said. “I’m going, there’s no way in hell that’s a campaign expense.”

Park said he has filed many complaints to the FPPC over the years, but this “by far was the largest penalty I’ve ever seen.”

Someday, Trish we will get you justice. For now, we have to be thankful that some justice has finally been served.

I would be remiss if I did not finish this blog by saying Thank You to the LA Times for this article and to the reporter for her professionalism and legitimately good thoughtful questions. I have attacked the LA Times on this blog many times, but they deserve credit when they get one right. This is one of those times.

Nov 212023
 

Sounds harsh, huh? What did the CADEMS know that we don’t. They returned both Cervantes sisters to sender in pieces, refusing to endorse either one of them!

Perhaps they are tired of candidates with criminal convictions. (Referring to Clarissa, whose record includes two DUI’s) There are other members of the Cervantes Family sporting criminal convictions as well as those in office. Hence the term Cervantes Crime Family.

I am reaching for answers here, but on some level you have to wonder if this history is at play in the failure of the Dem Party to endorse the Cervantes sisters.

As a public service to the Cervantes family, I’d like to point out the following:

News flash to these two luminaries that say they support Women’s rights. The only place in the middle east where women have rights is in Israel. In other arab countries the abuses of women are legion.

In addition, both Cervantes sisters could be executed in most Arab Countries for being gay. Why am I making a reference to this? Have a look at the most recent boneheaded move:

Perhaps Sabrina is just uninformed and ignorant. Or, maybe the same hatred of the police is also at play against Jews and Israel?

What Sabrina shared came from someone named Melanie Cervantes, (Not sure if she is another Cervantes family member) and quotes a bunch of the typical half-truths that are the basis to justify terrorism. What of course is missing is any mention of the rape, torture, baking a baby in an oven, dragging a dead woman through the streets and the host of other atrocities perpetrated by Hamas.

The Cervantes Crime family should also be reminded that Israel was created by a UN MANDATE in 1947. That’s right, their precious UN created Israel.

Secondly, while Israel has existed since antiquity (mentioned in the Bible the Cervantes family sorta claim to believe in as part of their alleged Catholic background), the term Palestine was a 19th Century creation of the British Colonial empire.

Perhaps the Hola Gatita (Hello Kitty) supports the Reconquista as well. (That is a specific movement that wants to return all territory won from Mexico in 1848 after Mexico invaded the US (Texas) “remember the Alamo” and got their asses kicked in the war that followed)

I guess we can add old fashioned racism to the list of issues with the Cervantes Crime Family, too.

Hola Gatita, regresar a casa.

P.S. The “Palestinian” constitution calls for the destruction of Israel, that’s gonna make negotiations difficult. Details, Details…

Nov 092023
 

Nothing sucks worse than seeing perfectly effective political organizations step on a rake. 25+ years ago I was introduced to this as an officer in CRA. I watched many times as CRA endorsed terrible candidates for various reasons. Two that come to mind are Gary Bauer for President and Al “Richard” Ramirez for US Senate.

I still love you guys in Placer even though you blew it bad.

I am going to put this out here. North State County Parties have an irrational hatred of Brian and Megan Dahle. Unlike Tom McClintock and others that sell out conservative ideals (see also latest vote against censuring Rashida Hamas Tlaib) the Dahle’s get zero exemption or slack from any of them.

On 11-8-2023, the Placer and Nevada County GOP held meetings for the purposes of endorsing in CA SD-01 and CA AD-01, amongst others. As I am earning money from both of these races, they are the focus of this blog.

While friends on the Placer GOP told me Megan Dahle would have received fair treatment had she arrived, in my professional role working for both Dahle and Heather Hadwick, I discovered anything but. Unfortunately, based on patterns and chatter emanating for months even though Heather Hadwick is a completely different person the enmity for Dahle would transfer to her regardless of merit and people were organizing against Megan Dahle regardless of the absurdity of the candidate running against her. Time and time again, I was getting flags all over the north state about it.

How could anyone have expected Megan Dahle to show up to meet with two groups of people openly and outwardly hostile in that manner? Reconciliation is a two-way street and it is absurd to expect someone to show up to get s–t on.

So what did Placer County Do? They endorsed David Fennell – a multi-time perennial candidate loser with a 747 Load of Baggage. This is going to hurt the credibility of the Placer GOP severely and this hurts even deeper as the Placer GOP has been an effective force for good in clearing school boards of Teacher’s Union goons that want to brainwash our children. The Placer GOP should have done what Nevada and Shasta Did, deadlock and not endorse.

Just who is David Fennell?

In 2010, David Fennell sued over 100 Republican Candidates and the California Republican Party.

This page is just an example of the filings Fennell made. He sued everyone who sought State or federal-level office.

David Fennell claimed the republican party and its candidates were technology-illiterate and rebuffed his offers to help.  He claimed financial fraud was discovered, including that funds earmarked for party activities and young republicans were “channeled back to individual Republican leaders,” that funds were being moved out of state, and there were no records.

David Fennell claimed those he sued attempted to ruin his reputation by labeling him a molester, rapist, and thief. Many of the people he sued never met him.

The original case was dismissed as to some defendants as a result of a successful SLAPP motion (motion to strike).  Fennell appealed, and his appeals were denied – both at the state Supreme Court and the US Supreme Court.  Other defendants instead filed a demurrer, which was also successful.  Fennell amended his complaint, but the court granted the defendant’s motion to strike.  Fennell attempted to serve additional defendants, and those attempts were rejected, and as to those defendants, his case was dismissed for failure to prosecute.

12 years later, David Fennell continued filing amendments, motions, and appeals through 2022 – in November 2022, the appellate court dismissed a petition for writ of mandate.

For 12 years, David Fennell has been attacking Republicans abusing the court system to do so.

Because David Fennell lost a SLAPP motion, it means he owes attorney’s fees and interest to the people who beat him in court. This total is estimated to be over $150,000.

If that is not enough – DAVID FENNELL FILED A BAR COMPLAINT AGAINST HARMEET DHILLON and the CAGOP’s attorney Chuck Bell.

Thomas N Hudson should have remembered this well. Anyone around CAGOP politics should have remembered this. Now – the Placer GOP has taken ownership of this because of their disdain for Megan Dahle. There are local officeholders on that committee, local business-owners, influencers and the like. This is not a good look at all.

In addition, it appears that Fennell has moved several times and has actively attempted to evade collections attempts. (See also the fact that he has continued filing motions even after losing the SLAPP motion, until finally getting shut down hopefully for good in 2022)

In Shasta County, Fennell only received three votes because he had alienated so many people with his overall approach. In fact, one of his talking points against Megan Dahle when he spoke to both county parties last night is that she lacks a college degree.

As someone who has no diplomas to my name, my life proves that I sure in the hell didn’t need to waste 6-8 years of my life in a commie-infested institution to learn how to win political campaigns, kick the asses of rinos or be a better candidate. Had Fennell been stupid enough to make a comment like that in my presence, he would have been treated to my communication skills that were honed in life not academia. (I wasn’t there, so he has to settle for reading this blog)

The serendipitous arrogance shown by Fennell and the fact that the good people on the Placer GOP completely dismissed it, ignored it, or just plain missed it is troubling at best.

I can also guarantee you that Megan’s colleagues in Sacramento know how capable and smart she is. I certainly learned that the first time I met her. She was the polar opposite of Beth Gaines.

I never once criticized the Placer GOP for endorsing Michael Murray over David Butler, nor will I. I bring that endorsement up, because the Fennell endorsement is absurd personally and politically idiotic. Mike Murray is a member of the Placer GOP and a friend to all on that body. As Such, it is an easy one to explain. David Fennell as proven by his actions is an arrogant, out of control attorney with no connection to Placer County at all. He has never had a pot to piss in for any of his campaigns and there is zero rationale to endorsing him absent the hatred of Megan Dahle.

Endorsing David Fennell will injure the credibility and effectiveness of the Placer GOP. Let me repeat: Fennell filed a Bar Complaint against Harmeet Dhillon because he was butthurt (my opinion of his motive) over losing his LT Gov Campaign in 2010. (Not sure if it was related to his losses in later years as well)

The events of the past few weeks have proven several things however:

The Central Committees in the North State are independent as Shasta, Nevada and Placer have all come up with different results.

Several County Parties in Northern California are moribund or dead completely, this needs to change.

Nevada failed to reach 2/3 on either endorsement and announced they would try again on 12-7.

Placer did reach 2/3 on AD-01 (and SD-01 as previously discussed) after at least 3 ballots, choosing Tenessa Audette.

Shasta failed to reach 2/3 on both and voted to accept the results ending their role in the process.

With regard to AD-01, Heather Hadwick is starting to hit her stride and all of you will be hearing a lot more from her soon. You should pay attention as she could very well be an assembly-member.

Nov 062023
 

Dear Orange County GOP – when your intrepid blogger files an FPPC Complaint, it gets results. Several OCGOP members at the time had been falsely claiming the complaint I filed against Bill Brough was a political attack and a campaign stunt. I won’t hold my breath waiting for an apology.

While the OCGOP did do the unthinkable and abandon Brough playing a major role in him losing his primary to Laurie Davies, your intrepid blogger received reports for the ensuing four years about Brough protesting his innocence. Said reports included several within the OCGOP sphere enabling him and amplifying his attacks on the voracity of your intrepid blogger.

Please note that every complaint I filed in 2018-2020 got results. Travis Allen got fined, now Brough, and some local loser candidate in Roseville, Rene Aguilera got a warning letter. All three lost their respective races. (Take notes Janet Nguyen)

Please see the Official Notice I got from the FPPC: (FYI – the FPPC, Fair Political Practices Commission, is the California Campaign Finance Watchdog agency)

On April 27, 2023, the above-named respondents entered into a payment plan and mainline settlement agreement with the Enforcement Division for seven counts involving personal use/appropriation of campaign funds/assets, plus three recordkeeping counts. For these 10 counts, the agreed-upon penalty was to be $47,000.1

The payment plan called for an initial down payment in the amount of $7,500—with the remainder to be paid over seven monthly installments. Upon full payment, the proposed mainline settlement was to be presented to the Commission for its consideration in December 2023 (or as soon thereafter as the matter could be agendized).2

Bill Brough appears to have continued his pattern of financial malfeasance. The FPPC gave him a chance to pay a $47,000 fine if he made agreed upon installments, but Brough failed to make them:

The payment plan included a waiver of rights in case respondents failed to make their required installment payments by the monthly deadlines specified in the agreement. This included a waiver of respondents’ rights to a probable cause conference and administrative hearing—for the purpose of allowing the Commission to enter a default decision and order against the respondents.3

(SNIP)

Under the payment plan, respondents made their initial down payment in the amount of $7,500— but respondents have failed to make all of their required installment payments, to date. These were required to be made at the rate of $5,000 per month, beginning in May 2023. This matter now comes before the Commission as a default proceeding.

The part I snipped out described how if Brough failed to make his payments, the FPPC could pile on additional charges and jack the fines up to $5,000 per offense. Brough also waived all his rights and then he still welched on the deal!

Respondents Bill Brough, Bill Brough State Assembly 2018 (I.D. No. 1392528), and Bill Brough State Assembly 2020 (I.D. No. 1415006) violated the Political Reform Act as described in Exhibit 1, which is incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein. Exhibit 1 is a true and accurate summary of the law and evidence in this matter—and is supported by various affidavits and records, which have been marked and submitted as Exhibits A, A-1 through A-26, and B through D. This Default  Decision and Order is submitted to the Commission for final disposition of this matter.

So guess what? Your intrepid blogger filed against every committee Brough had and it appears all the complaints were validated. But wait, there’s more:

The Commission issues this Default Decision and Order, imposing an administrative penalty in the total amount of $90,000 against respondents Bill Brough, Bill Brough State Assembly 2018 (I.D. No. 1392528), and Bill Brough State Assembly 2020 (I.D. No. 1415006). Of this amount, respondents Bill Brough and his 2018 committee are jointly and severally liable for $42,000 (Counts 8-9 and 11-18); respondents Bill Brough and his 2020 committee are jointly and severally liable for $13,000 (Counts 10 and 19-20); and respondent Bill Brough is individually liable for the remainder, totaling $35,000 (Counts 1-7).

In partial satisfaction of the foregoing default penalty, respondents are to receive a credit in the amount of $7,500 for the initial down payment that respondents made under the payment plan/waiver agreement.

Pursuant to Government Code section 89513, subdivisions (c)(1)(B)(i) and (ii), campaign funds may not be used to pay the penalty imposed for Counts 1 through 6 (totaling $30,000) because each of those counts involves personal use of campaign funds that resulted in substantial personal benefits to Brough, and the expenditures were not reasonably—nor directly related to any political, legislative, or governmental purposes.

The entire penalty is payable to the “General Fund of the State of California.”

Ladies and gentlemen, it was a good thing Bill Brough got run out of office. I am personally offended that the Sacramento County DA did not prosecute Mr. Brough for what I believed to be credible allegations of rape against him, but this complete demolition of him by the FPPC is a consolation prize.

Click this link to see the entire document from the FPPC related to Bill Brough.

Linked here is a summary blog your intrepid blogger wrote after our total demolition of Bill Brough in 2018. 40 Posts in all!

More specifically, blogs and stories about the FPPC Complaints below:

The first blog about the FPPC picking up the complaint and formally notifying me of the investigation is here.

I amended the complaint to add even more to it after OC Register Coverage, and highlighted several stories quoting your intrepid blogger.

Park said he believes he helped Brough get elected to a first term in the 73rd Assembly District after he publicized information about one of Brough’s opponents. Now, as claims mount about Brough’s campaign finances and allegations that he’s made unwanted sexual advances against several women, Park said he feels a “sense of duty” to help get him out of office.

“He turned out to not be who he said he was,” Park said. “He needs to go now.”

I will close with these words from 2018:

Bill Brough is in serious trouble. There is a full blown state level investigation in to his sexual misconduct. The FPPC has nearly 250 pages of documentation from your intrepid blogger that they are combing through as the web of Bill Brough’s personal life and abuse of campaign funds is becoming clear.

$90,000 in fines.

Nov 012023
 

Those who read this blog will recall that when your intrepid blogger wrote about Clarissa Cervantes’s 2nd DUI, it was not reported as such in the Press-Enterprise. As has so often happened, your intrepid blogger does the job of the local press.

It looks like Clarissa Cervantes has a lot of enablers

Need more evidence the P-E is biased? Today, your intrepid blogger was sent a copy of an ethics complaint against Clarissa Cervantes in her role as a Riverside Council member. The Complaint was scheduled for a hearing on 11-2-2023 per this 10-20-2023 notice. See page 4, item 7 the Pre-Conference regarding Clarissa Cervantes’ complaint.

If you read the complaint, that was not mentioned as of yet in the Riverside Press-Enterprise (but you’d think it would be news given her other recent legal issues), it alleges the following:

Facts of City Code of Ethics & Conduct F. Violation of Government Code 871000 – Councilmember Clarissa Cervantes failed to disclose income on Assuming Office Statement of Economic Interest in 2021 and Failure to Disclose Income on Annual Statement of Economic Interest in 2022. She had originally certified that her statements were true and correct under penalty of perjury. The FPPC recently opened an investigation based on complaint filed on 9/11/2023: COM-09112023-02609

Afterwards, Councilmember Cervantes issued amendments to the 2021 and 2022 Statement of Economic Interest filings on 9/22/2023, confirming that the alleged violations were accurate. The original and amended returns are attached. The following incomes were not initially disclosed:

– Sabrina Cervantes for Assembly 2020 salary between $10,001 to $100,000 range.
– Cece’s Artistic Touch independent contractor income between $1,001 to $10,000 range.
– Bergmann Zwerdling Direct salary between $10,001 to $100,000 range.

Facts of City Code of Ethics & Conduct M. Violations of federal, state, or local law – On July 1, 2023, Councilmember Clarissa Cervantes was arrested for Driving under the influence BAC .08 or Higher. She issued Guilty Pleas for VC M231521(A) and VC M23152(B) and was convicted on both of the charges on August 30, 2023. Her summary probation was granted for a period of 36 months on the attached terms and conditions.

(FPPC = Fair Political Practices Commission, the State Watchdog)

So – it looks like Clarissa did not disclose three sources of income. Is this because it is all Cervantes Family Money? Is it because Clarissa has been enabled for so long that she believes the rules don’t apply to her?

Take note of how she amended filings after the complaint was lodged.

It also looks like she did not disclose to the City of Riverside her second DUI Conviction, regardless of the sweetheart deal she got from the court.

People should ask themselves, if they donate to any Cervantes (Sabrina et. al.) how is that money being used? It looks like it is being funneled right back to Clarissa. Why are the categories so broad? How much actual money are we talking about? It could be several hundred thousand dollars!

Where is the Riverside Press-Enterprise? Are they preparing to endorse this disaster for Assembly District 58? Why else would a story like this get ignored?

To recap the P-E covering for Clarissa Cervantes:

It was put to me that the Riverside Press-Enterprise had reported on this first DUI in the past, but the story is nowhere to be found. It was also not easy to obtain these records through normal channels on the internet to corroborate that Cervantes is now a double Deuce.

You see, the P-E had a story about her first DUI in 2014 that you can’t find anymore. (Sources told me this) The day after we lit them up, they claimed their half-truth reporting, in particular not reporting that the 2023 DUI was, in fact, DUI #2, was because Cervantes had the first Misdemeanor expunged. Expungement does not remove the fact that it still counts as both a criminal conviction and DUI #1.

Cervantes’s first DUI was not easy to get records on. My people had to go to the applicable government offices and get paper copies of the records. Given that Cervantes and her powerful local family all have a history of antagonism towards law enforcement, there would be plenty of people out there motivated to expose the ugly truth.

How light was the sentence? Check it out:

Most people get thrown in jail for at least 30 days after DUI #2, not Clarissa. The judge let her 45 days in rehab count as time served, and the remaining 57 of the 102-day sentence will be served in Work Release. How many readers would prefer 57 days of picking up trash (but I doubt Clarissa will be anywhere close to doing that) to being in the can?

Also note that DUI #2 can be a felony in many cases, but not for Clarissa.

She was fined less than $2k! Most people pay $5,000-7,000 on DUI #1!!!

It also remains to be seen how long her driver’s license gets suspended. It is typically a year for the rest of us. This means that Cervantes will have to have staff drive her around to campaign appearances, unless the California DMV finds an excuse to not suspend her license for the typical amount of time.

I believe but have no proof that the powerful Cervantes Family has had something to do with the extraordinarily light sentence and the Press-Enterprise’s seemingly deliberate attempt to obfuscate her legal issues.

P.S. This is not the first time the Cervantes family has been in trouble with the law. In 1999 Greg Cervantes was convicted for campaign finance felonies.