Adam Hill won’t address campaign finance irregularities

February 25, 2016
Supervisor Adam Hill

Supervisor Adam Hill

By CCN STAFF

San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Adam Hill has responded with insults and claims of harassment to questions about his latest campaign filing report.

In his 460 report for the last six months of 2015, Hill reported $2,461.72 paid for Facebook advertising through his personal account as a “non-monetary expense.”

While a candidate can donate as much as they like to their campaign, they must put that money into their campaign account first, and purchase the advertising from there, according to campaign finance laws.

In addition, Hill reported a non-monetary donation of $30 for whiskey, snacks and CDs for a raffle.

Jay Wierenga, communications director with the Fair Political Practices Commission, was asked this week about claiming payments for advertising as a non-monetary expense. Wierenga said that generally the candidate would “either have to pay the credit card bill from campaign funds or the candidate would have to put personal funds into the campaign bank account and then pay the bill.”

“The bill should not be paid for from personal funds directly,” Wierenga wrote in an email. “Generally speaking, all campaign expenditures should be paid for by and with campaign funds.”

Last week, activist Ron Crawford sent Sharon McMahan, Hill’s campaign treasurer, an email asking if Hill’s donations to his campaign “are correctly listed in the ‘non-monetary contributions received.’ ”

McMahan did not respond to the email. Instead, Hill pronounced Crawford’s questions as annoying his campaign — and then refused to answer those questions.

“Please stop bothering my campaign staff,” Hill responded on Feb. 22 from his county email address.

In response to CalCoastNews questions about the Facebook ads and donation from the SLO County Democratic Party, Hill castigated a reporter in a string of increasingly contentious emails. Last year, Phillips 66 made a $5,000 donation and PG&E made a $6,000 donation to the SLO County Democratic Party during a filing period the only candidate the party provide a donation to was Hill.

Again Hill declined to answer the questions. Hill instead repeats a false assertion he and an affiliate often make — that a reporter has a history of mental illness.

In one email Karen Velie asks, “Both PG&E and Philips 66 gave more than $5,000 to the central committee and the only candidate the central committee gave money to is you. Also please
explain the Facebook ads. The requirements for disclosure are to provide transparency.”

Hill responds with untrue claims that Velie crawled under a table in a creative writing class Hill taught more than 10 years ago.

“Certainly I am at the center of all your crazed conspiracies,” Hill wrote. “Let me know if we can help you find some mental healthcare; you’ve needed it for a long time now, ever since you fell apart in my class and you crawled under the table crying. Who knows what your life would be like had you gotten the help you need.”

Hill has had issues with his financial disclosures in the past.

In Feb. 2015, Hill was fined $2,500 for failing to properly maintain campaign records during his 2012 bid for the District 3 seat, according to the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC).

A random audit conducted by the California Franchise Tax Board on all 2012 San Luis Obispo County Supervisor candidates revealed that Hill failed to timely report fifteen payments of $500 or more, totaling $68,058.73 and that the other four candidates had prepared financial statements that were substantially accurate and complete.


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Adam, are you aware that the only difference between a rut and a grave are the dimensions?

Your political career is OVER.


Like children on the school playground, it seems Adam Hill gets what he wants by intimidation and bullying. Many school principals tolerate and allow this same unacceptable behavior thus why children that are bullied suffer long-term and others even commit suicide. It bothers me to hear how Mr. Hill “goes after” those that oppose him or question his unethical practices, just like the school yard bullies. To me, his behavior is frightening and I worry that someday we will make the news “Supervisor Guns Down Those That Oppose Him.” Bullying should never be tolerated and one can only hope that the voters will send this message to Mr. Hill.


This was posted tonight on the “Team Adam Hill” Facebook page:


“97 Hit Pieces in 5 years. Karen, if you would just swallow your spite for a few minutes, we will get you help. You’ve been a mess for a very long time and people use you to grind axes and settle scores. It can’t be a happy life you’re living.”


Karen, I’d say write three more stories and let’s make it an even 100!


Adam, free free to post a list of all the stories from CCN about you that are incorrect. I’m sure Karen would be more than happy to let you write an Opinion piece. In the same piece, you can also explain how you afford a house at the County Club and support a family of five on an $85,000 salary.


At least Karen is in good company as Adam Hill has bulldog attacked many honorable people in this County from the likes of Mr. Thoma, Debbie Arnold, Lynn Compton, Debbie Peterson, Mr Waage, Mr. Carpenter, Dave Congalton, and the list of community members goes on-and-on as well as many citizens like the letter to the editor writer, etc.


I guess it is always in the eyes of the beholder as to who needs mental help and my guess is Adam Hill would be the first based on his erratic and misplaced behavior patterns.


We counted 99 CCN stories on Dee Torres-Hill. If the number is correct, she has Adam Hill beat by 2.


Of course, we should have someone count up the number of stories that a certain Internet Troll (rhymes with Hoax) publishes about Karen Velie. It seems almost daily. I would wager the number is far more than 97.


So will Adam Hill, by his own criteria, now step in and get therapy for his little Internet Troll?


Adam Hill has a huge behavioral problem directly related to alcohol abuse.


It’s time for the voters of the 3rd District to throw the bully out! Adam Hill must go this election cycle. Vote Dan Carpenter for Supervisor on June 7.


I particularly do not like, nor do I think it’s legal, that Adam Hill used his county email address to respond to any reporter/blogger/whomever on matters related to his campaign.


Campaign etiquette 101.


Is it true he was in an EVC meeting at the time he was conversing with Velie? Way to keep your eye on the county Adam; way to go!


Dem Central has decreed that Adam is done as 3rd district supe, but it it looks bad for them to openly declare their new Anointed One.


Cleverly, they have allowed him to remove his muzzle, knowing that he will crater soon, and their new selection can assume the position.


Racket…please share with us…who is the Democrat Central Committee’s new Anointed One? Apparently you know something the rest of us do not! Or at least me!


This is an early stage of the master plan.


Hill supporters now need to start looking around for another acceptable Dem to support in the 3rd district.


The Central Committee doesn’t want to ram anyone down your throat, they want you to discover an acceptable Dem replacement all by yourself from the field of candidates. It’ll probably come to you pretty soon.


You think voters are THAT stupid?

Part of a plan, my @ss.

The Central Committee is only now realizing Hill has little chance of retaining his seat. They’ve been shoving Hill down the throats of Dist 3 voters, and now that he’s nearly unelectable they want voters to “discover an acceptable Dem replacemen’t all by yourself.”

Well, isn’t that mighty nice of them?


Dem voters are easily led by suggestion, but they like to think that they are thinking for themselves. Their string pullers MUST give them the illusion of “discovering a replacement by themselves.” What’s so hard to understand about that?


Adam is a man that Character DOES NOT matter to.


I do not want him as my supervisor as I do not have a city council person to work with.


Adam treats left and right with disgust and this is what is going to take him down. The Democrats are sickened by him because he bullies them. The right is always hammered by Adam’s attacks as he calls them all racists.


Good Bye Adam Hill!


Mary Lucey is playing with the same lame deck–watch her throw down the racist card when she needs to divert attention from her poor performance, same as Adam.

The similarities are uncanny.


It is also a violation to campaign using the resources of a government agency,i.e. emailing from his County email.


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