June 2025 Agenda

NOTICE AND AGENDA

Commission Meeting

Fair Political Practices Commission

California Fair Political Practices Commission
1102 Q Street, Suite 3050
Sacramento, CA 95811

Thursday, June 19, 2025
10:00 A.M.

View Agenda as PDF

Under Government Code section 11123(a), all meetings of a state body are open and public, and all persons are permitted to attend any meeting of a state body, except as otherwise provided in that article. The section further states that the portion of the teleconferenced meeting that is required to be open to the public must be audible to the public at the location specified in the notice of the meeting. Members of the public may listen to the meeting by phone by calling (669) 444-9171; access code: 9856036268 or watch the meeting via Webinar at YouTube. To participate in real time, visit http://mediasite.fppc.ca.gov/ or call (669) 444-9171; access code: 9856036268.

To view the new procedure to participate by telephone, visit our public comment page.

Persons who, due to a disability, need assistance in order to participate in this meeting should, prior to the meeting, contact the Commission Assistant at (916) 322-5745 (voice), CommAsst@fppc.ca.gov (e-mail) and ADACoordinator@fppc.ca.gov. TTY/TDD and Speech-to-Speech users may dial 7-1-1 for the California Relay Service to submit comments on an agenda item or to request special accommodations for persons with disabilities.

Adam E. Silver, Chair

1. Public Comment for Items not on Agenda. During this comment period, any person is invited to speak on any topic that is not listed on this agenda. Action may not be taken on any matter raised during this public comment period until the matter is specifically listed on a future agenda. Those who wish to comment on an item that has been listed on this agenda may comment when that item has been opened for consideration by the Commission and before any action is taken.

The Commission should avoid discussing and may not act on any matter raised during this public comment period, except to decide whether to place the matter on the agenda of a future meeting during the last item on the agenda.

2. May 2025 Minutes

Items on the consent calendar will be taken up and voted on as a group. A Commissioner may request that an item be removed from consent, in which case it will be discussed separately in the meeting.
 

Misuse of Campaign Funds

3. In the Matter of Lysa Ray and Marc Steinorth for Supervisor 2018, FPPC Nos. 19/1802 & 20/1120. Staff: Theresa Gilbertson, Senior Commission Counsel and Lance Hachigian, Supervising Special Investigator. Ray was represented in this matter by Steve Baric of Baric Law. Lysa Ray served as the treasurer for the Committee. Ray and the Committee made an expenditure that was not compliant with the Act’s restrictions on the use of campaign funds as the payment had no legislative, governmental, or political purpose and the payment was not consistent with the Act’s restrictions on the use of surplus funds, in violation of Government Code Sections 89410, 89512, and 89519 (1 count). Ray and the Committee failed to file campaign statements to disclose reportable activity, in violation of Government Code 84200 (1 count). Total Proposed Penalty: $7,500.

Ray - Stip

Conflict of Interests

4. In the Matter of Jess E. Benton; FPPC Case No. 20/777. Staff: Marissa Corona, Senior Commission Counsel and George Aradi, Special Investigator. The respondent is represented by Gary Winuk of Kaufman Legal Group. Jess E. Benton, a former member of the Hillsborough City Council, made a governmental decision that had a reasonably foreseeable material financial effect on Benton’s financial interests, in violation of Government Code Section 87100 (1 count). Total Proposed Penalty: $4,500.

Benton - Stip
 

Campaign Late Filer

5. In the Matter of Reverge Anselmo; FPPC No. 22/402. Staff: Laura Columbel, Commission Counsel and Ann Flaherty, Special Investigator. The respondent is represented by Catherine Keenan of the Law Offices of Phillip Russell, LLC. Reverge Anselmo is a major donor committee. Anselmo failed to timely file four semi-annual campaign statements, in violation of Government Code Section 84200 (4 counts), and two 24-Hour Reports, in violation of Government Code Section 84203 (2 counts). Total Proposed Penalty: $21,500.

Anselmo - Stip
 

Statement of Economic Interests Late Reporter

6. In the Matter of Terrance Slatic; FPPC 22/617. Staff: Marissa Corona, Senior Commission Counsel and Paul Rasey, Special Investigator. The respondent is represented by Michael Goldfeder. Terrance Slatic was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Fresno Unified School District. Slatic failed to timely report the receipt of a gift on the 2018, 2019, and 2021 Annual Statement of Economic Interests, in violation of Government Code Section 87207 (3 counts),  failed to accurately report the value of a gift received on the 2021 Annual Statement of Economic Interests, in violation of Government Code Section 87207 (1 count), and accepted a gift that exceeded the 2021 annual gift limit, in violation of Government Code Section 89503 (1 count). Total Proposed Penalty: $18,000.

Slatic - Stip

Default Proceedings

Pre-Notice Defaults

7. In the Matter of Committee to Re-Elect Michael Minnix and Michael Minnix; FPPC Nos. 20/817 & 20/998. Staff: Laura Columbel, Commission Counsel and Alethea Perez, Special Investigator. Michael Minnix was a successful candidate in the November 3, 2020 General Election. Committee to Re-Elect Michael Minnix was Minnix’s candidate-controlled committee. Minnix failed to timely file a Statement of Intention, in violation of Government Code Section 85200 (1 count). The Committee and Minnix failed to timely file a Statement of Organization, in violation of Government Code Section 84101 (1 count), six 24-Hour Reports, in violation of Government Code Section 84203 (6 counts), one pre-election campaign statement, in violation of Government Code Section 84200.5 (1 count), and seven semi-annual campaign statements, in violation of Government Code Section 84200 (4 counts). The Committee and Minnix also failed to include the proper disclosures on two mass mailings, in violation of Government Code Section 84305 (1 count). Total Proposed Penalty: $41,000.

8. In the Matter of Brown for Bassett School Board Member 2024 and Samuel Brown, FPPC No. 24/1046. Staff: Theresa Gilbertson, Senior Commission Counsel. Brown was an unsuccessful candidate for the Bassett Unified School District Governing Board in the November 5, 2024 General Election. Brown for Bassett School Board Member 2024 was Brown’s candidate-controlled committee. Brown and the Committee failed to timely file two pre-election campaign statements, in violation of Government Code Sections 84200.5, 84200.8, and 84206 (2 counts). Total Proposed Penalty: $5,000.

9. In re: Winuk Opinion. Staff: Kevin Cornwall, Senior Commission Counsel. The Commission will consider a legal memorandum and provide direction regarding a requested opinion on whether Palo Alto City Manager Edward Shikada has an economic interest in Stanford University, a non-profit university, based on its relationship with his spouse’s employer, Stanford Health Care, a non-profit organization.

Staff Memo
Request for Opinion
Requestor Additional Information
 

10. Pre-Notice Discussion of Proposed Adoption of Regulation 18430.1 and Amendments to Regulation 18421.3 and 18401, Limitations on Prepaid Cards and Recordkeeping Requirements for Contract Vendors. Staff: Zachary Norton, Senior Commission Counsel. Staff proposes adoption of Regulation 18430.1 to add prohibitions and limitations on contributions and expenditures using prepaid cards, as well as amendments to Regulation 18421.3 to prohibit candidates or committees from contracting with payment processors that do not utilize more stringent verification measures and Regulation 18401 to add additional recordkeeping requirements relating to contributions received through payment processors. The proposed amendments are presented for pre-notice discussion and feedback, with potential adoption to occur at the August Commission meeting.

Staff Memo
Proposed Amendment of Regulation 18401
Proposed Amendment of Regulation 18421.3
Proposed Adoption of 18430.1
 

11. Public Outreach and Technology Committee Update. Staff: Eva Hartman, Executive Fellow. Review and update regarding the Detecting AI in Campaign Advertisements Panel Report.

Staff Memo

12. Legislative Update. Staff: Lindsey Nakano, Senior FPPC Legislative Counsel. The Commission will review and discuss potential sponsored and other legislation. The Commission may provide direction to staff regarding the same.

Legislative Update
 

13. Executive Staff Reports.

Enforcement Division. Angela J. Brereton & Christopher B. Burton, Assistant Chiefs. 
Audits and Assistance Division. Shrdha Shah, Chief.
Legal Division. Dave Bainbridge, General Counsel.
Administration and Technology Division. Jue Wang, PhD, Chief.
Executive Director Update. Galena West, Executive Director.

Executive Staff Report
 

14. Commissioner Comments and Proposed Future Agenda Items.

Note: Although any Commissioner may identify a topic of interest, the Commission may not substantially discuss or take action on any matter raised during the meeting that is not included on this agenda, except to decide to place the matter on the agenda of a future meeting. (Government Code Sections 11125 & 11125.7(a).)

[1]You can obtain further information about the meeting by contacting the Commission Assistant, 1102 Q Street, Suite 3050, Sacramento, CA, 95811, Tel. (916) 322-5745. Written comments on agenda items should be submitted to the Commission no later than 12:00 p.m. the day before the meeting in order to afford the Commissioners adequate time to fully consider the comments. Email comment letters directly to CommAsst@fppc.ca.gov. To participate in real time, visit http://mediasite.fppc.ca.gov/.

The agenda and related documents are posted on the FPPC website at www.fppc.ca.gov. Materials submitted by the public regarding each agenda item will be made available on the website. The Commission makes every attempt to post ADA compliant documents. If there is a document that is not compliant, please email the Commission Assistant requesting an ADA compliant version. 

Members of the public may listen to the meeting by phone by calling (669) 444-9171; access code: 9856036268; or watch the meeting via Webinar at YouTube.

The meeting location is accessible to the disabled. Persons who, due to a disability, need assistance in order to participate in this meeting should, prior to the meeting, contact the Commission Assistant at (916) 322-5745 (voice), CommAsst@fppc.ca.gov (e-mail) and ADACoordinator@fppc.ca.gov. TTY/TDD and Speech-to-Speech users may dial 7-1-1 for the California Relay Service to submit comments on an agenda item or to request special accommodations for persons with disabilities. Please allow three business days between the request and the meeting date.