The California Fair Political Practices Commission is recommending a $14,000 fine to Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia for failing to file seven semi-annual campaign statements between 2010 and 2014.
According to the Agenda for the August 17 FPPC meeting,:
The 2014 Committee, Gioia, and Peck failed to timely file seven semiannual campaign statements, in violation of Government Code Section 84200, subdivision (a) (3 counts); failed to timely file two pre-election campaign statements, in violation of Government Code Sections 84200.5, subdivision (a), and 84200.8, subdivisions (a) and (b) (1 count); and failed to timely file a 24-Hour Report, in violation of Government Code Section 84203 (1 count).
Click here for full 13-page Stipulation, Decision and Order.
Supervisor Gioia first won office in 1998 and ran unopposed in 2002 and 2006. In 2010, he defeated Mister Phillips while earning 79.5% of the vote. In 2014, he again ran unopposed.
Gioia’s ex-wife, Jennifer Peck, served as his treasurer before their legal separation in 2013 and divorce in 2016.
The report highlighted that the 2010 committee failed to timely file its semi-annual campaign statements dating back to 2013—days late ranged from 1-day to 284 days.
Meanwhile, the 2014 Committee failed to timely file semiannual and pre-election campaign statements ranging from 1-day late to 666 days late.
According to the Stipulation, Decision and Order, each violation carries a maximum penalty of $5,000—in total, the maximum penalty could have been as high as $40,000.
The committee is recommending a fine of just $14,000.
“I take responsibility for it and I am embarrassed by it. I learned one thing, I am going to hire a professional accountant and treasurer to handle the books and make the filings so this doesn’t happen again,” said Gioia. “It wasn’t an issue of failing to disclose, it was an issue of filing late.”
Gioia decided he wasn’t going to contest the decision and just pay the fine because there was nothing to contest because he did file late.
