Tougher Campaign Disclosure Law Backed

Spurred by complaints of abuses in recent city elections, the Palmdale City Council has given preliminary approval to a law that would force candidates to disclose more of the campaign contributions received in the final days before voting.

The city’s Fair Campaign Practices Ordinance grew out of complaints by council members who said they had been victimized by last-minute hit mailers paid for by contributions not disclosed until after the election. The new requirements would be substantially tougher than the state’s disclosure laws.

Under state law, candidates must file reports listing all individual contributions of $100 or more received up to 16 days before an election. Over the final days, candidates must disclose contributions within 24 hours, but only if they exceed $1,000.

The measure, passed Thursday and facing a final vote next month, would lower the late contribution reporting threshold to amounts of $100 or more. The law would also lower to $100 the reporting requirement for spending in the final days of a campaign by groups supporting candidates. Violations would be criminal misdemeanors.

City Atty. William Rudell said the measure should “tighten up some loopholes” in the state law that have enabled candidates and groups to delay reporting the source of last-minute funding until long after the election.