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CA: Anti-illegal immigrant group may have broken state finance rules
Bakersfield Californian ^ | 2/10/05 | AP - Sacramento

Posted on 02/10/2005 1:16:32 PM PST by NormsRevenge

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A group seeking to keep undocumented immigrants from obtaining driver's licenses has not reported how much money it has raised, violating state campaign finance rules, the California Secretary of State said.

The Save Our License Committee says it has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars since 2003 to put the license and other anti-illegal immigrant measures on the state ballot, but it has missed three filing periods, according to Secretary of State Kevin Shelley's office.

A committee that contributes or spends $50,000 or more at any time must file campaign finance reports with the state, said Harvey Tsuboi, a senior analyst with the Political Reform Division, which is investigating the committee.

"It is uncertain how much money has been contributed to the group, since no finance reports exist," Tsuboi said. "They're definitely a nonfiler, and they are going to have to file statements back to 2003."

The group was founded by California Republican Assembly President Mike Spence, who has led efforts to recall Shelley for misuse of federal and state money. Spence has also accused Shelley of seeking to sabotage the Save Our License committee.

In response to a federal investigation, Shelley resigned, effective March 1.

Now Spence faces his own investigation, with possible fines of up to $10,000.

Spence maintained his group has reported the money it raised, and that a professional firm filed for the committee.

Save Our Licenses treasurer John Fugatt, however, said no outside group handled campaign contributions for the organization.

"We provide the information on a regular basis to the state, so we have no idea what happened," Fugatt said.

Spence, who is also president of the West Covina Unified School District Board, organized the Save Our License committee in 2003 following the approval of a state law granting driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants. The Legislature later repealed that law at the behest of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who vetoed a later version of it. He cited security concerns.

The committee is collecting signatures to place the measure on the November ballot to bar undocumented immigrants from receiving driver's licenses and most other social services. It has until Feb. 22 to collect nearly 600,000 signatures, but some experts have said the group is unlikely to make the deadline.

The committee's effort comes as Congress is considering a nationwide ban on issuing the licenses to undocumented immigrants.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: aliens; antiillegal; broken; california; campaignfinance; finance; group; imigrant; rules; saveourlicense
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1 posted on 02/10/2005 1:16:33 PM PST by NormsRevenge
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"We provide the information on a regular basis to the state, so we have no idea what happened," Fugatt said.

And if so, then why is the SoS's office unable to find a record?

How convenient for Shmelley and his staff to have selective amnesia or to have lost or misplaced the submissions.

Something shmells alright..

2 posted on 02/10/2005 1:18:46 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ...... The War on Terrorism is the ultimate 'faith-based' initiative.)
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To: NormsRevenge

You have that right!


3 posted on 02/10/2005 1:20:18 PM PST by Die_Hard Conservative Lady (I have left this blank for a reason....)
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To: NormsRevenge

Interesting...I'd guess this involves the donations of several Freepers.


4 posted on 02/10/2005 1:24:02 PM PST by PRND21
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To: NormsRevenge

The real purpose of campaign finance laws is to create so much paperwork and rules that it will be impossible to follow them all, then selective enforcement can silence all opposition.


5 posted on 02/10/2005 1:27:02 PM PST by Libertarianize the GOP (Make all taxes truly voluntary)
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To: NormsRevenge

This is shmelling more and more like a Democrat dirty trick. We just have to make sure it doesn't discourage any volunteers or petition signers from sending in their petitions.


6 posted on 02/10/2005 1:33:41 PM PST by djreece
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To: NormsRevenge

Talk about a parting shot.

No retribution in this. /sarcasm


7 posted on 02/10/2005 1:50:37 PM PST by GOP_1900AD (Stomping on "PC," destroying the Left, and smoking out faux "conservatives" - Take Back The GOP!)
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To: NormsRevenge

Copies are our friends!


8 posted on 02/10/2005 1:55:16 PM PST by azhenfud ("He who is always looking up seldom finds others' lost change...")
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To: PRND21
Interesting...I'd guess this involves the donations of several Freepers.

So what's your point?

9 posted on 02/10/2005 1:56:56 PM PST by judgeandjury
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To: azhenfud

AS a Republican in West Virginian, when I was treasurer of the local county party with about $1,000 a year in income and expenses, I always spent a dollar for proof of mailing (and one time the $2.30 for proof of receipt). Surely they have done that in this case.


10 posted on 02/10/2005 2:29:42 PM PST by wildandcrazyrussian
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To: NormsRevenge; kellynla
Spence maintained his group has reported the money it raised, and that a professional firm filed for the committee.

Another sabotage move, perhaps? He previously posted the wrong deadlines on the state website. Something stinks. Maybe that needs to be investigated!

Is Kevin Shelley Trying to Sabotage The Save Our License Initiative?

11 posted on 02/10/2005 3:14:50 PM PST by calcowgirl
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To: NormsRevenge

I would like to see laws enforced against the illegal immigrants -- they are the ones who break our laws for their own agenda.


12 posted on 02/10/2005 3:17:38 PM PST by Dante3
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To: judgeandjury

None. Yours just became obvious, however.


13 posted on 02/10/2005 3:20:35 PM PST by PRND21
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To: NormsRevenge

** WORLD EXCLUSIVE **

I just called Save Our License, and, according to Mike Spence, no filing was done, due to a miscommunication between their treasurer and the company doing the filing. They've sent a letter saying they'll file the necessary paperwork. He said that they aren't under investigation.

I said, "so this isn't a Shelley shenanigan." He said no, but that might change depending on how the Secretary of State handles this matter.


14 posted on 02/10/2005 3:56:50 PM PST by lonewacko_dot_com (http://lonewacko.com/blog)
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To: lonewacko_dot_com

** WORLD EXCLUSIVE **

Oh My!!

Where's muh siren!

Thanks!

Shmelley won't be around long enough to get involved,, but the legal beagles will ...


15 posted on 02/10/2005 3:59:41 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ...... The War on Terrorism is the ultimate 'faith-based' initiative.)
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To: calcowgirl

Sometimes I wish I lived in a nice quiet little out of the way state where nothing like this ever happens..

Sometimes, mind you. ;-)

See Post #14


16 posted on 02/10/2005 4:01:17 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ...... The War on Terrorism is the ultimate 'faith-based' initiative.)
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To: kellynla; NormsRevenge

K: ping to 14

NR: thanks!


17 posted on 02/10/2005 4:17:12 PM PST by calcowgirl
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To: lonewacko_dot_com

Thank you for the news.


18 posted on 02/10/2005 10:03:18 PM PST by djreece
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To: Libertarianize the GOP
The real purpose of campaign finance laws is to create so much paperwork and rules that it will be impossible to follow them all, then selective enforcement can silence all opposition.

That is not true. Parties and legitimate political organizations have accountants and file contribution information. Arguments that say "everybody does it" only work when everybody really does it.

19 posted on 02/10/2005 11:39:25 PM PST by Once-Ler (Beating a dead horse for NeoCon America)
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To: NormsRevenge
The group was founded by California Republican Assembly President Mike Spence, who has led efforts to recall Shelley for misuse of federal and state money. Spence has also accused Shelley of seeking to sabotage the Save Our License committee.

This is probably the whole story.

20 posted on 02/10/2005 11:46:08 PM PST by k2blader (It is neither compassionate nor conservative to support the expansion of socialism.)
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