Beginning on March 6, and running up to the June primary, candidates are required to file FPPC reports notifying the public about large political donations of $1,000 or more. Such donations must be reported within 24 hours of receiving that donation. Reports include the donor’s name, the amount of the donation, and the date received. The purpose is to identify any large contribution, and its source, as the election enters the final months to ensure transparency.
Interestingly, Jimmy Paulding has “sidestepped” this disclosure requirement, first with of a mysterious unnamed donor who pledged $40,000 for a contest featured on Jimmy’s Facebook page and campaign website, and then with another who anonymously pledged $10,000.
So, Jimmy claims to have received two anonymous donations totaling $50,000, and both were received only days before the start of the 24-hour reporting period. The precise timing of his contest’s end (right before March 6), which triggered the $50,000 anonymous match, is not coincidental.
Something stinks. Campaign finance laws are intended to ensure transparency and honesty. Nothing should be hidden for months, especially $50,000 in contributions!
Jimmy Paulding: You claim to have received $50,000 worth of anonymous donations. Who is buying this race? So much for transparency.
The voters of the 4th District have the right to know who is hiding behind your curtain.
George Stricklin
Nipomo
This article appears in Mar 22 – Apr 1, 2018.
It looks to me like Jimmy Paulding is scrupulously following all campaign legal requirements. When scrupulously following the law there is nothing wrong with using wise political strategy, good timing and respecting the requests of campaign donors.
It would be helpful if Lynn Compton was more forthcoming about her connections to COLAB lobbyists and their continual efforts to circumvent democracy in our county.
Put Lynn Compton and Jimmy Paulding side-by-side and ask them the hard questions and it is easy to see who is the better candidate.
Compton needs to realize that just because people want to vote her out of office does not mean they want to quote destroy her unquote as she claims. Compton had her chance and failed. Its now time we give the opportunity to someone new who is competent and well-liked.