Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/political-reform-act/)
The state Fair Political Practices Commission determined that Solorio, a lobbyist and Santa Ana City Council Candidate, broke the law by using campaign funds on an apartment he is renting for personal use.
Under California law, lobbyists and wealthy political contributors can make large cash donations requested, or behested, by the office holders for their favorite charities. The practice has become big political business in recent years.
Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido has developed friendships, and possibly business connections, with men who have histories of drug arrests and revel in the Mexican narco culture.
Council members battled over whether they should release the city attorney’s legal opinion on Councilwoman Christina Shea’s controversial, and perhaps illegal, consulting work for KIA Motors America. The council ultimately chose not to release the opinion.
High-level employees of Dana Point Harbor and the city of Dana Point took advantage of a poorly documented employee discount program for room stays that had no approval or oversight from the Board of Supervisors.
Recent financial disclosures show no evidence of Mayor Miguel Pulido repaying significant loans he received years ago from wealthy patrons. If he can’t show an effort to pay back the loans, he could be in violation of the state’s gift limit.
Christina Shea is rumored to have lost her consulting gig with KIA Motors after the state’s political watchdog opened an investigation. But she refuses to answer questions about it.
Councilman John Perry has been hailed for suing San Juan Capistrano over its water rates. But his vote to award hundreds of thousands of dollars to a law firm in the case that made payments to him may have crossed ethical and legal lines.
The Fair Political Practices Commission’s investigation of Councilwoman Christina Shea follows a Voice of OC article about Shea’s attempts to fast-track construction plans at City Hall for her consulting client, KIA Motors.
Councilwoman Christina Shea has built her political career on rooting out corruption surrounding the Great Park. But what she’s doing behind the scenes for a consulting client is also crossing ethical lines, a government ethics expert says.