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State Democrats file FPPC complaint on Maldonado

November 1, 2012

Abel Maldonado

California Democrats requested Wednesday that the California Fair Political Practices Commission investigate whether Republican Congressional candidate Abel Maldonado violated state law by not disclosing two campaign fundraisers in 2007 [McClatchy].

The California Democratic Party complaint attempts to link Maldonado’s tax problems to campaign misconduct in the former state senator’s 2007 reelection bid.

On December 5, 2007, Maldonado hosted a party at his father’s home. The same day his campaign collected $35,000 from 27 donors. Maldonado’s family business, Agro-Jal Farming Enterprises, tried to write off $3,686.03 in catering costs from the party as a business expense, but the Internal Revenue Service denied the deduction, saying that the party could have been a political fundraiser.

In the FPPC complaint, the state Democratic Party said that, if IRS assessment is accurate, the party costs were contributions to Maldonado’s state senate reelection campaign and that the Republican violated state law by nor reporting them.

The complaint additionally cited a party Maldonado’s family business held earlier in 2007, which it also attempted to write off as a business expense. IRS documents show that Agro-Jal tried to write off a $16,473.43 catering fee from an April 2007 “Harvest Party” at the Santa Maria Country Club. But, the IRS rejected the write-off, again saying it could have been a Maldonado fundraiser.

“It was noted during the examination that Abel Maldonado Jr, was a state senator in California during this time period. It is conceivable that the party could have just as easily been a political fundraising party,” the IRS said.

Though the IRS did not provide a day for the party, campaign finance records show that Maldonado reported no nonmonetary contributions in all of April 2007. Records also revealed that Maldonado raised $23,100 on April 20 from a total of 11 donors.

But, the Maldonado congressional campaign called the FPPC complaint a political stunt.

“The complaint filed by the chairman of the California Democratic Party is a purely political and desperate stunt attempting to exploit an issue less than a week away from the election that the campaign addressed weeks ago,” Maldonado spokesman Kurt Bardella told McClatchy.

Capps’ campaign did not comment on the campaign finance complaint.


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Don’t forget Tea Party folks are planning to write in a candidate in protest of both Capps and Maldonado. Maldonado was one of the major pushers for this top two primary system that has ensured 3rd parties don’t stand a chance in CA elections. It’s all being decided in the primaries now which means it really up to the big party machines to chose the candidates.


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Not a snowballs chance in hell that ignorant, moronic Maldonado will beat that drooling, trough feeding Capps.


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feeding time


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Looks like the usual suspects have a quorum. Why don’t you call the meeting to order? Start with considering In Abel staring straight into the camera and saying, “Those tax liens? Paid over 20 years ago.” GOP=Lying.


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Those threatened that Lois Capps — the most leftest member of Congress — might actually lose her seat are really pulling out the stops! “State Democrats”… well, that could mean anyone?


Was the year in question the same year Lois didn’t pay taxes on income she had received? Fortunately, members of congress are exempt from many of the laws the rest of us have to follow…. is this one of them?


I think … and HOPE… that huge Titanic we once called a state and a country can be turned around… because … well.. Lois may be a nice person to some people… but she is part of the problem… not part of the solution.


I for one want a change…


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Roger, you are mixed-up again, or perhaps purposely misleading readers. Capps was voted “Nicest’ member of Congress..


Also, Capps is in good standing with the IRS. Can’t say the same about Maldonado. IRS says he owes more than $4 million, and so far he’s denying it and costing taxpayers massive amounts of money as the IRS pursues its case.


Lois Capps is part of the solution by trying to make sure Maldonado remains out of public office. Thank you Lois Capps!


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Just because the IRS says he owes additional money does not make it correct. The IRS has been known to bully money out of people that wasn’t owed. People shake in their boots when they open the mailbox and get that dreaded notice. The IRS can and often is wrong. Seems to me “could” have been a fundraiser isn’t the same as “it was a fund raiser”. Remember, we are innocent until proven guilty…except in tax court.


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I agree about the IRS.


Unfortunately, Maldonado couldn’t bother to show up at many of his scheduled meet-and-greets with the voters earlier in the year. He could have saved himself, and the voters, a lot of problems by simply keeping his commitments to the voters, attending the scheduled events, and explaining his tax issues to the voters.


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Yeah, and if Madonado wasn’t always hiding from the public and the media we might even give your naive statement some validity. But we’re talking MALDONADO here, remember?


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Timing is everything! This is obviously a political move on the part of the “nicest congressperson” in Washington. That says a whole lot in itself.


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Well then, WHAT does it say? (Or aren’t you saying?)


Get real, please!


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Alot of “if’s” in this article. Perhaps these people should look into more recent reports of the opposition not reporting significant rental income.


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It was Lois Capps’ office that reported the error and went so far as to report it to the House of Reprsentatives so that it went on public record. And then Lois Capps corrected her error gracefully, efficiently and completely. What more do you want from her?


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Ms Capps also failed to report her California PERS pension income on her Congressional Disclosure Statements. I think she may have to many “forgets” to continue serving. Standards should be applied equally and that means not report is not reporting, reporting and disputing is reporting means reporting and disputing. Disagreement with the politic of each candidate but don’t change the bar and make excuses for one’s wrong doing. Brother Ted where are you on this?


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Isn’t politics a wonderful thing?


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I agree with Bardello’s assessment: it sounds like desperation on the part of the Ca Dem Party.


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If that is the case, then Maldonado needs to man-up and bring it to the voters.


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What do you mean by “desperation”? That Lois Capps wants to win her election and alert the public to Maldonado’s unsuitability for public office? Well, duh! Why not?


I think we really know who is “desperate”. Racket!


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What I mean by desperation is that Capps has not faced a close election before.


Her gerrymandered district ensured her success in the past. This new district makes for a challenge that her handlers have never experienced before.


That she will be unseated by a doofus like Maldo proves my point.


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Is it poor form to use “Ensure” in the same sentence referencing Capps?


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