FPPC dismisses complaint against Perata over Prop. 11

A group seeking to defeat Proposition 11 took comfort in a state Fair Political Practices Commission decision last week to reject a complaint against state Senate Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) from the proposition's backers.

The letter stemmed from an Aug. 28 complaint against Perata by Jeanine English, California president of the AARP, one of the Proposition 11's principal supporters.

English complained that the California Correctional Peace Officers Association improperly funneled money to defeat Proposition 11 with a $577,000 donation to a political campaign fund controlled by Perata.

In the response letter, FPPC executive director Roman Porter said there was not enough evidence of violation of the state Political Reform Act.

Paul Hefner, a spokesman for the anti-11 group Citizens for Accountability, said the rejection proved that the campaign for the redistricting reform measure was gaining no traction. Hefner also pointed out recent studies and newspaper articles that called into question how effective the measure would be.

"Even before these disclosures, Prop. 11 has trailed badly in public opinion polls, as voters reject the proposal to create a complicated new ‘multi-level' process for redistricting that would fail to give most communities any representation when redistricting decisions are made," Hefner wrote in a press release.

English said she believes the complaint was justified, and that the Yes on 11 campaign's organizers will study whether they should pursue the matter further.

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