Residents for Reform, Neighborhood Preservation Coalition, David Ellis, Scott Peotter for City Council 2014, Scott Peotter, Duffield for City Council 2014, Duffy Duffield, Muldoon for NB City Council 2014, Kevin Muldoon, Diane Dixon for City Council 2014, Diane Dixon, and Lysa Ray

Controlled Committees

Fine: $27,000

FPPC No. 15/247 and 16/19915

Scott Peotter, Duffy Duffield, Kevin Muldoon, and Diane Dixon were successful candidates for Newport Beach City Council in the November 4, 2014 General Election. Scott Peotter for City Council 2014, Duffield for City Council 2014, Muldoon for NB City Council 2014, and Diane Dixon for City Council 2014 were their candidate-controlled committees. Residents for Reform and Neighborhood Preservation Coalition were committees primarily formed to support these candidates, controlled by David Ellis, a paid consultant to all the candidates, and an unsuccessful candidate for Director of Orange County Municipal Water District in the same election. Ellis served as principal officer of these committee’s and Lysa Ray served as the treasurer. Ray also served as treasurer for Duffield for City Council 2014 and Diane Dixon for City Council 2014.

Residents for Reform, Ellis, and Ray failed to: (1) identify Ellis as the Committee’s controlling candidate, include his last name in the Committee name and disclose that the committee was primarily formed on its statement of organization, in violation of Government Code Section 84103 and Regulation 18402 (1 count), (2) timely file four 24-Hour Reports, in violation of Government Code Section 84203 (1 count), (3) properly report nonmonetary contributions on two pre-election campaign statements, in violation of Government Code Section 84211 (1 count).

Neighborhood Preservation Coalition, Ellis, and Ray failed to: (1) identify Ellis as the Committee’s controlling candidate, include his last name in the Committee’s name, and disclose that the committee was primarily formed on its statement of organization, in violation of Government Code Section 84103 and Regulation 18402 (1 count), and (2) timely file eight 24-Hour Reports, in violation of Government Code Section 84203 (2 counts).

Each candidate and their committee (Peotter, Duffield, Muldoon and Dixon) and Ellis failed to timely report nonmonetary contributions on three campaign statements, in violation of Government Code Section 84211 (1 count each).

Ellis received contributions and made expenditures from multiple controlled committees campaign bank accounts, in violation of Government Code Section 85201 (1 count).