Fair Political Practices Commission

The most recent spate of independent expenditures in state legislative races pushed the total over $10 million for the general election, according to the state's Fair Political Practices Commission.

That's in addition to $12 million spent in the primary election earlier this year. Six races, including three Assembly races in Northern California, each had more than $1 million in independent expenditures this fall.

Less than a week before the Nov. 4 election, three Northern California Assembly races have each drawn over $1 million in independent expenditures, according to the state Fair Political Practices Commission.

In two of those races, AD 15 and AD 10, respective Democrats Joan Buchanan and Alyson Huber have each had more than $1 million spent on their behalf alone. In AD 30, the independent expenditures are almost evenly split between Democrat Fran Florez and Republican Danny Gilmore, each supported by over $560,000 in IEs.

Independent expenditures in legislative races this fall have topped $4.5 million, according to the state's Fair Political Practices Commission, adding to $12 million spent in primary races earlier this year.

Ten legislative districts account for most of the independent expenditures, with Assembly District 15, an open seat that's a target for both Democrats and Republicans, drawing $918,748 in IEs from outside groups unaffiliated with either campaign.

The California Fair Political Practices Commission made note of the ongoing trend of independent expenditures in state legislative races Tuesday, pointing out that independent groups have spent more than $2.4 million in the general election campaign this year.

That comes in addition to $12 million spent on behalf of candidates during the primary campaign season earlier this year, and is part of an even larger total over the last seven years.

Independent expenditures in several closely contested state legislative races will get a close eye from the California Fair Political Practices Commission between now and Nov. 4

The commission will post online a daily tally of how much independent expenditure committees are spending in those races, and who's contributing to those committees.

The California Medical  Association has formed three independent expenditure committees for three closely watched state Assembly races.

The committee in  Assembly District 15, "Create Change, Support Joan Buchanan Independent Expenditure Committee, sponsored by the California Medical Association PAC," has a name that suggests its spending will benefit the Democrat in that race.

The state Fair Political Practices Commission will have a pair of "interested persons" meetings next week that would be a preliminary step toward new rules on ballot committees and government-funded election expenditures.

In the first of those meetings at 2 p.m. on Oct. 7, FPPC staff and commissioners will have a hearing on clarifying rules that govern committees formed and controlled by candidates for the purpose of opposing or supporting a ballot measure.

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.

A group opposing a 2003 ballot measure, which would have barred the state from collecting racial information on anyone, received an $8,000 fine from the state Fair Political Practices Commission Thursday.

The California Fair Political Practices Commission is looking to clarify the definition of a "principal officer" on a campaign committee and could adopt a new regulation next month.

Commission Executive Director Roman Porter said the proposed regulation would add to an existing regulation that requires committees to include the identity of the principal officer, or the board of people with primary responsibility for the committee, when they file campaign paperwork.