Posted on 02/16/2005 8:57:12 AM PST by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO - State Sen. Jim Battin, R-La Quinta, said Tuesday that he is being investigated by the state Fair Political Practices Commission in connection with donations to his campaign committees.
In a statement, Battin said he was cooperating with commission officials. He blamed the inquiry on "bogus complaints" filed by a Democratic colleague.
Sen. Mike Machado, D-Linden, was angry at GOP criticism of Machado's fund-raising practices during a tough re-election fight, Battin said. Machado withdrew the complaint last July, Battin said.
But that didn't stop the commission's investigation.
"I did not attempt to conceal the source of any campaign funds. I did not accept any contributions that were not allowed by law," Battin said. He blamed the commission for leaking information about its inquiry to the media.
Battin declined to comment further and did not say which contributions were under scrutiny.
Battin's remarks came the same day that the state Senate failed to consider a bill meant to regulate how the commission investigates contributions.
The bill, originally a Battin measure dealing with surplus state property, underwent wholesale changes in the last month. In its latest form, the measure would govern investigators' use of "transmittal letters" that sometimes accompany donations and describe their purpose.
The bill's new author, Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, R-Irvine, said that the legislation is meant to clear up confusion that potentially puts every member of the Legislature, not just Battin, at risk of commission penalties.
In a Feb. 2 letter, commission Executive Director Mark Krause said the bill would undermine its activities. In the letter, Krause said the bill would be "bad law."
The investigation of Battin is the latest development in the convoluted legal aftermath of voters' approval of Prop. 34 in 2000.
For the 2004 election, the initiative set a $3,200 limit for contributions to legislative candidates.
The confusion has come in how to regulate accounts that existed before the new rules took effect.
The commission initially criticized legislative attempts to allow lawmakers to raise limited donations for their pre-Prop. 34 accounts.
Then the commission allowed unlimited contributions.
The commission changed course again after a judge ruled that Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, during the 2003 recall campaign, was soliciting unlimited contributions to his pre-Prop. 34 account and then moving the money into his recall committee.
Battin collected big-dollar contributions into a pre-Prop. 34 account around the same time. He received $75,000 contributions from a pair of Inland tribes, the Agua Caliente Band of Mission Indians and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.
Unlike Bustamante and Machado, Battin said Tuesday, "I spent absolutely nothing from my old committee (pre-Prop. 34 account) on my 2004 re-election."
I thought La Qunita translated from Spanish to English meant "Next to Denny's"
Maybe La Qunita does, but La Quinta can be interpreted as "big house"...someplace Battin likely will NOT be headed!
Sen Battin can ride with me in my drop top Cadillac Lucille(Pink, Mag wheels, diamond in back when top is up) anytime I am driving thru LaQuinta. Delmont knows lots of California politicians and welcomes most of them, well at least if they have an -R behind their name, to ride with me in Lucille anytime.
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