Group challenging new Senate maps gets warning on disclosure

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A group pushing a ballot measure to overturn new voting districts for the state Senate failed to properly report major backers, including the California Republican Party, in its initial filings, according to a warning letter issued by the state’s ethics watchdog agency.

The state Fair Political Practices Commission’s chief of enforcement made the finding in a letter to the group Fairness and Accountability in Redistricting, which filed the proper disclosure after a complaint was submitted by California Common Cause.

‘The FPPC has completed its investigation of the facts in this case,’ wrote Gary Winuk, the commission’s chief of enforcement. ‘Specifically, the FPPC found that the committee failed to timely amend its Statement of Organization … to reflect the names of its major donors as required by the act.’

The amendment now reflects in the committee’s name that major donors include the California Republican Party, which donated $100,000 to the group in August.

-- Patrick McGreevy in Sacramento