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Adam Hill spent $40,000 in campaign money on his criminal defense

October 19, 2021

Former Supervisor Adam Hill

By KAREN VELIE

If you were one of the donors to former San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Adam Hill’s campaign in 2020, then along with the SLO County Deputy Sheriff’s Association you probably helped pay for his criminal defense attorney.

After FBI agents raided Hill’s Shell Beach home and his office in the county government center in March 2020 as part of a corruption investigation, Hill spent $40,000 in campaign funds on attorney Robert Sanger. Sanger, who helped Michael Jackson win a not-guilty verdict for child molestation, represents Kristin Smart murder suspect Paul Flores.

Following the FBI raid, Hill spent more than 75 percent of the $59,409 in his campaign chest on his legal defense, $40,000 to Sanger and $5,000 to Kaufman Legal Group.

While the California Fair Political Practices Commission permits candidates to spend campaign funds for attorney fees, the fees “may only be paid with campaign funds if
the litigation is directly related to activities of the committee that are consistent with its primary objectives.” Campaign funds cannot be legally used for personal purposes.

In addition to funding his criminal defense, Hill paid his administrative assistant and girlfriend Nicole Nix $7,500 out of his campaign funds in 2020, according to Hill’s financial disclosure reports.

In 2020, when the union representing SLO County Sheriff correctional staff and dispatchers donated $5,000 to Hill’s campaign, FBI agents were investigating jail staff for allegedly violating inmates’ civil rights.

On Aug. 4, 2020, the Kaufman Legal Group returned $1,936 of their $5,000 retainer to Hill’s campaign committee, according to one of Hill’s financial disclosure reports. Sanger said he is prohibited from discussing the $40,000 retainer Hill paid him.

While under investigations for bribery, involving marijuana mogul Helios Dayspring and alleged sexual misconduct with his administrative assistant Nix, Hill committed suicide with an overdose of cocaine and antidepressants on Aug. 6 2020.

As part of a July 28, 2021 plea agreement, Dayspring admitted to paying thousands of dollars in bribes to Hill for favorable votes on his cannabis business interests.


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Those who vote blue no matter who won’t be the least bit bothered by this.


29

Because they hold themselves to no standards, other than double standards.


21

Trans-cerebral, does matter where their head is, they just raise the palm and say “Heil, I Agree”. Almost like they’re repeating bad history?


-1

You can point at most politicians in this county and call them corrupt without argument. I’ve always wondered… were these people always corrupt, or did they learn how to be corrupt after they were elected?


18

Just the tip of the iceberg for an utterly ethically corrupt local politician who imported corruption into this county.


50

Corruption has been in this county before Hill was part or it, and is still here, he did bring it to a whole new level though.


21

Agree, however this issue is about one person in particular. The “what-a-bout” him or her argument that I often hear is a straw man deflection. The issue is about Hill, his corrupt political machine, and the voters in his District.


12

You forget about Gearhart and J Wallace Engineering? O’Malley, WM all across the isle folks here? The Sheriff, DA? The complacent BOS? Wait until we need water shipped into Cambria and Cayucos soon like up north due to our local vineyards and brewery and drought.


-4

Disappointed but not surprised.

Corruption is on both sides of the aisle.


36

Adam Hill threatened to ruin people if they did not support him, and they threw money at him. You have the deputies and builders all giving him money to support them. On the other political side, the SLO Progressives played cheerleader overlooking the sexist behavior and support of human traffickers and drug dealers, because that is who they chose to lead their group. Both political sides need to do a house cleaning, better before the FBI begins arresting people.


No surprise that Adam Hill used his campaign money to support his girlfriend and to pay for Robert Sanger. The other question is, Should Robert Sanger have returned some of the retainer? After all, wasn’t Adam Hill in a mental hospital most of the time before his death?


63

Sanger continues to confirm what the definition of “ambulance chaser” is.


35

Crooked is what Crooked does .It is truly sad that every branch of government at all levels has so much corruption these days .When does it stop or will it get even worse ? Everyday somewhere in USA a new government scandal or corruption is on the news


29

Sheriff’s union donates to Hill whilst feds are investing their abuses. Hmmmmmm. Gotta love our BOS, DA and Sheriff, sarcasm.


29

Most people who contributed to Hill’s campaign likely knew he’d have to spend it on lawyers to defend him for his very public corruption. As long as he voted their way, they didn’t give a s**t about his morals. That was who he was — as his supporters knew full well.


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