Home Antioch Antioch Councilman Hit With FPPC Complaint for Campaign Kickoff Event

Antioch Councilman Hit With FPPC Complaint for Campaign Kickoff Event

by ECT

On Monday, Antioch resident and School Board Trustee Mary Rocha filed a formal complaint against Antioch Councilmember Lamar Thorpe with the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC).

The complaint asks the FPPC to look into Thorpe’s August 29 campaign kick-off event where she says the invitation left off several key pieces of information that are required by law such as a political disclaimer, failed to state what office he was running for, and has a potential Brown Act Violation.

Rocha said she filed the complaint because she wanted to ensure people were not mislead in where their political donations were going.

“For that simple reason, I want to know what position he is running for, it becomes important to know what he is running for. Is he going for State Assembly, Mayor, or city council? It makes a huge difference,” said Rocha. “This is the beginning of politics for the 2020 election. It is going to be an interesting year.”

Rocha also says Thorpe has many years of campaign experience and knows the political laws citing it was “strange” Thorpe would make mistakes like this while involving two other councilmembers.  She also hinted he was potentially working on a re-election campaign for a state legislator.

Thorpe responded to the allegations Monday confirming he was running for re-election as a Antioch City Councilmember for District 3.

He said would have his campaign treasurer take care of it and said it was a “slight oversight” but explained he believed it’s not a Brown Act Violation for other council members to host campaign fundraisers.  He also shared he believed all the necessary information was available because the Facebook Event announcement was tied to his City Council page.

Rocha believed Thorpe knew what he was doing.

“He should know the rules,” said Rocha. “I hope by filing the complaint, Antioch politics will remain fair and transparent heading into the 2020 elections.”

Below is the Statement Issued by Rocha on Monday:

As a longtime public official in Antioch, and as a person dedicated to the betterment of Antioch, I believe our elected leaders must embrace transparency. I also believe strongly that they must follow the law

Today, I filed a formal complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) asking them to investigate recent actions of Antioch Council Member Lamar Thorpe. On last Thursday, August 8, Council Member Thorpe publicly posted on Facebook an invitation for the pubic to purchase tickets to a political fundraiser for himself on August 29th.

Political fundraisers are common, especially now since we are on the heels of the 2020 elections. But Council Member Thorpe’s fundraising notice was peculiar in that there were several omissions that raised eyebrows of a number of our citizens. 

For example:

Council Member Thorpe’s fundraising invite DID NOT include a political disclaimer (as required by law) advising the public who was putting on the fundraiser and paying for its advertising and the fundraiser itself. “Paid for by … who?” This information is required on all political fundraising invitations.

In fact, Council Member Thorpe’s fundraising invite DID NOT even mention what office he was running for. When you click on the fundraising link, it did not specify that information either. So, without a political disclaimer as required by law, there is no way of knowing where the contributions are going. If the public donates to this fundraiser, is the money going to Mr. Thorpe running for re-election to the City Council, to the office of Mayor of Antioch, to County Supervisor or something bigger? Or is it going into the personal bank account of Mr. Thorpe?

Another issue that must be investigated:  The public Facebook fundraising invitation says specifically that it is being “hosted by: Antioch District 3 Resident Karen Kops, AUSD Trustee Ellie Householder, Antioch Council Member Monica Wilson and Antioch Mayor Pro Tem Joy Motts. These individuals are leaders in our community, and they should be fully aware of the requirements of the Brown Act. Is having two Council Members hosting a fundraiser for a third Council Member a violation of the Brown Act?

These are all items I have asked the FPPC to weigh in on. Council Member Thorpe is not neophyte to the political process. I assume he knows the laws and on behalf of the Antioch community, I respectfully ask him to follow them.

We will update when the FPPC takes up this complaint.

You may also like

39 comments

Rivertown Rat Aug 12, 2019 - 12:46 pm

The election is more than a year away. It is way toooooooooo early for this type of shenanigans but being Thorpe I am not surprised by his “slight oversight” and selective memory. These two do not like each other very much so this doesn’t surprise me one bit. Let the official fireworks begin.

Patricia Hendley Aug 12, 2019 - 3:02 pm

This is ridiculous. The election is pretty far away and if he decides later down the line he wants to run for Mayor, I would vote for him in a heartbeat. Our city looks horrible, crime is outrageous, peoples homes and cars are being broken into, we are continously building more homes but no new schools. He is taking away the roots of antioch. The Mayor has done nothing productive. Mary Rocha should go sit down somewhere. Is she mad that her spot was taken? This seems like a personal vendetta that she has against him.

Grace Aug 22, 2019 - 1:26 pm

WE are building HOUSES and those people who buy them might make them into HOMES. See the difference?

Barb Aug 12, 2019 - 3:16 pm

Thorpe has proven himself as useful as a City Council members as a spit in a bucket! Totally useless!

Miss Baker Aug 12, 2019 - 4:23 pm

Mary Rocha is overrated. She has been around for years. The article makes it clear that she doesn’t like him.

Scott Brown Aug 22, 2019 - 1:28 pm

What’s to like? He has done nothing to help this city! He’s n impediment!

Jim Simmons Aug 12, 2019 - 5:12 pm

I have had enough of that fraud Lamar Thorpe and his cowboy hat. He is fool of it and all about himself. He is rude at City Council meetings and is ignorant on many topcis while believing he actually knows something about it. Cops can’t stand him and neither can code enforcement. Too many people drinking his kool-aid.

I am serious when I ask what has he actually accomplished? Someone please educate me.

ECT Aug 12, 2019 - 5:15 pm

Per his FB event

About Lamar:
Lamar was elected to the Antioch City Council in 2016 and subsequently appointed Mayor Pro Tem. Since then, Lamar has championed proposals that promote city accountability, fiscal responsibility and transparency. In 2018, with the city facing a $12 million dollar structural deficit, Lamar led the development of Measure W, which resulted in the funding of 115 police officers, 8 code enforcement officers and over $2 million for recreation and youth services. The overwhelming passage of Lamar’s proposal by voters placed Antioch in a sound fiscal position for the next 20-plus years.

Lamar also led the safe and responsible regulation of Antioch’s cannabis industry (passed by the city council by a narrow 3-2 vote), the full funding of Antioch’s retirement pension obligation for the first time in over 20 years, another narrow approval of Antioch’s first transit-oriented community at the intersection of Hillcrest and Deer Valley, the creation of first Antioch’s Youth Services Czar, and the establishment of both the Antioch Youth Services Task Force and the Antioch Homeless Encampment Task Force.

Lamar Thorpe for Antioch City Council 2020; FPPC 1386995

Sarah Aug 12, 2019 - 6:14 pm

Thank you for informing the community about all that he has done to help this city.

Dawn Marie Aug 13, 2019 - 1:47 pm

He would have done much better if he had never run for city council … and had idiot voters elect him.

Uptown Aug 12, 2019 - 10:49 pm

The very idea that he approved of the MARIJUANA initiative which will make zombies out of our residents (like we don’t already have enough problems here), is enough for me to shun him and vote against him. So, he’s big on a gateway drug? Terrific! He’s appeasing the STONERS. Just because total idiots voted for this pestilence to become legal, doesn’t mean that an individual city should support it.

Jim Simmons Aug 13, 2019 - 6:16 am

He is pandering to a lot more than stoners. He is appeasing to the folks who fail to drive any sort of economic development. He is appeasing to folks who will make it tougher on law enforcement to do their job. Vote him out!

Ericson Aug 13, 2019 - 1:50 pm

I smelled a rat when he first ran and I smell a rat right now. There is no way in hell I’d remotely consider voting for him.

Draper Aug 16, 2019 - 7:48 pm

Uptown, a gateway drug? You sound like you’re stuck in the 1980’s. Get a grip on the failures of drug prohibition, like that hypocrite Nancy Reagan.

Jim Simmons, cannabis is a HUGE source of economic development. What are you talking about? It generates billions of dollars and increasing every day.

Meg Aug 18, 2019 - 9:16 pm

LOL yeah right dude…please show me one specific area in any city where its a “HUGE” source of economic development. Stoner logic hahaha

Uptown Aug 20, 2019 - 11:59 am

Draper, I was born in 1990, so it’s doubtful that I’m stuck in the 1980’s thinking! The people who voted for this stupid legality already had most of their brain cells destroyed.

It seems that investing in this horrid enterprise has not been very successful according to my broker. What those who had it put on the ballot initially, thinking they would become billionaires overnight, have found out that it’s petering out.

Even Colorado, which was the first state to legalize dope, has not seen what they thought was a predictable economic boom. Far from it. All they got was more people taken to ER’s after automobile crashes and ingesting eatables.

Patricia Hendley Aug 12, 2019 - 6:18 pm

Please read the comment below yours. Someone was kind enough to give us that information. I have found that it makes you look educated when you actually come up with actual reasons why you dont like someone rather than just name calling which makes it seems personal. You have given no reasons as to why he is not good for the city. The opinion you stated seems very ignorant.

Johnny Aug 12, 2019 - 5:28 pm

Voters! Please google Lamar and read all about the councilman and why his college put him on probation. Thanks Mary

Jeannie Aug 22, 2019 - 6:12 pm

Don’t use GOOGLE! They track every site you’ve been on. Instead, use DuckDuckGo or BING or StartPage and you’ll have less of those annoying ads on your screen … which are so irritating.

Nick Aug 12, 2019 - 5:29 pm

They all know the laws, Some of them don’t care.

Nichole Gardner Aug 12, 2019 - 10:28 pm

This man has been the only one to step up and work with us advocates on the homeless crisis we have in our city. The Mayor calls them all drug addicts and doesnt even think we have a homeless problem. He has put in the footwork visiting shelter, our food banks and visiting with the non profits that assist yhe homeless. He and Joy Motts mad a whole homeless taskforce that has gotten the community together to work on what the city can do to help out. It seems that she just doesnt like him because like someone said before, she could have easily let him know behind closed doors but she wanted to try to slander him. I have been tough on this Mayor and city for not doing anything to help with Antiochs homeless community and while our Mayor sits on his ass, Mr. Thorpe has actually showed compassion and concern. He has my vote for sure!!!! Thank you Council Member Lamar Thorpe for all that you have done. The advocates appreciate your compassion and your time that you have put into helping our homeless residents.

ECT Aug 13, 2019 - 6:13 am

To be fair, the Mayors comments on homeless have been taken way out of context. I’ll leave it at that.

Just keeping it honest Aug 13, 2019 - 6:04 pm

ECT,

Nichole did not take Mayor Wright’s comments out of context. At the Antioch Chamber’s Breakfast with the Mayor, he specifically said “we do not have a homeless problem, we have a drug problem”. He then repeated the statement, just so that all are clear on the context. He was then corrected on the spot by numerous attendees who reminded him that individuals with mental health challenges, seniors, and many others are part of the city’s unsheltered population. He then informed the audience that he was influenced by a documentary about Seattle that he had recently watched and he changed subjects.

ECT, since you’re reading this, why are you debating what several people heard and witnessed? Mayor Wright has no good solutions for treating homelessness or encouraging economic development in the City of Antioch.

Meanwhile, in the comment section for a recent article regarding the Lafayette City Council appointing a new City Manager, there is a disturbing “go back to India” comment. Why would you choose not to respond to that hateful statement, but waste your time defending an ineffective Mayor and defaming an individual who offered accurate information?

Melanie Aug 14, 2019 - 11:39 am

In all fairness, there isn’t one single person on earth who “really knows” how to handle the homeless effectively. If anyone knew, we wouldn’t have a serious problem with the homeless throughout the world. Denial isn’t the answer. Antioch has a serious homelessness problem, and a lot of them have substance abuse issues.

Don Martin Aug 13, 2019 - 6:06 pm

………… and we now have EVEN MORE “homeless” spread out all over ANTIOCH! Those homeless got here from other cities and even other states and WE are now stuck with paying for their care?

Nichole Gardner Aug 12, 2019 - 10:29 pm

This man has been the only one to step up and work with us advocates on the homeless crisis we have in our city. The Mayor calls them all drug addicts and doesnt even think we have a homeless problem. He has put in the footwork visiting shelter, our food banks and visiting with the non profits that assist yhe homeless. He and Joy Motts mad a whole homeless taskforce that has gotten the community together to work on what the city can do to help out. It seems that she just doesnt like him because like someone said before, she could have easily let him know behind closed doors but she wanted to try to slander him. I have been tough on this Mayor and city for not doing anything to help with Antiochs homeless community and while our Mayor sits on his ass, Mr. Thorpe has actually showed compassion and concern. He has my vote for sure!!!! Thank you Council Member Lamar Thorpe for all that you have done. The advocates appreciate your compassion and your time that you have put into helping our homeless residents.

Max Mace Aug 14, 2019 - 12:43 pm

These are not just homeless from ANTIOCH, Nichole! These are from other cities and those cities should be the ones who should pay for their care! Why are WE here in Antioch stuck with them? Care to respond, Nichole?

Jennifer Aug 16, 2019 - 1:44 am

Nichole, maybe the City can help out by identifying which states these homeless got here via what is called “BUS THERAPY” where they are given a one-way ticket out of their state via Greyhound with the destination being CALIFORNIA! This way, their state is absolved from taking care of them and it’s our problem now. I have out-of-state relatives who actually BRAGGED about supporting that.

Duke Aug 21, 2019 - 11:52 pm

So, Nichole Gardner – With so much that you “advocates” and Thorpe have been doing to take care of this problem, why do we now have more and more of these people around setting at least 2 fires per week and endangering our residences, our schools and places of work? What exactly have you been doing?

Emily Burns Aug 22, 2019 - 1:35 pm

Nichole, it’s you homeless “advocates” that are the problem! You are the impediment to solving this situation.

A Proud American Aug 22, 2019 - 3:06 pm

Nichole, maybe you advocates should gather up every homeless person you encounter and put them up in your own houses and back yards where they can pitch their tents. You can also feed them, bathe them and buy them new clothes! This would be one way to get them to stop setting fires around town and putting all of us in danger!

Seriousy! Think about it! Bring it up at your next advocate meeting!

Melanie Aug 12, 2019 - 10:42 pm

I don’t live in Antioch, but I’m well aware of his “record.” He’s a flake. From what I’m hearing, nobody can stand him.

Melanie Aug 12, 2019 - 10:49 pm

His biography for election (2014). “Born in prison, raised in foster care, and graduated high school illiterate.” Born in prison and raised in foster care is something you have no control over. But NOBODY should be proud of graduating from high school illiterate. All that says is you cheated your way all through school. He can’t be trusted. Leopards don’t change their spots.

Somerville Aug 12, 2019 - 10:52 pm

I smelled a rat in 2016! Turned out that I was right.

Vito Aug 13, 2019 - 12:32 am

Friends who work the swing shift on the Tuesdays when the Antioch City Council has it’s meeting, told me that they had emailed every council member numerous times about important issues and got responses from ALL of them except this Lamar Thorpe creature!

Don Martin Aug 13, 2019 - 6:14 pm

………… and we now have EVEN MORE “homeless” spread out all over ANTIOCH! Those homeless got here from other cities and even other states and WE are now stuck with paying for their care?

Dennis Aug 14, 2019 - 10:17 am

The whole city government in antioch needs to be replaced period including chief brooks none of them are doing there job

Fusioner Aug 20, 2019 - 12:15 pm

Oh yes! They formed a HOMELESS TASKFORCE! What has this “task force” actually done? Why are there even more homeless in our area now? More and more fires are set here … 4-5 per month now! All close to residential areas! One was set behind a school in Pittsburg! People are getting really PISSED OFF big time and soon someone will take the matter into their own hands and resort to drastic actions!

We have a lot of open land in the deserts! Why not put up temporary structures for them out there. there are some old mining cabins in the Ivanpah Valley which would be an ideal place for them. They aren’t doing anything anyway. Just meandering around causing problems .. Truck in food to them a couple times a week. Plenty of water … let them vegetate there!

A Proud American Aug 22, 2019 - 3:07 pm

Nichole, maybe you advocates should gather up every homeless person you encounter and put them up in your own houses and back yards where they can pitch their tents. You can also feed them, bathe them and buy them new clothes! This would be one way to get them to stop setting fires around town and putting all of us in danger!

Seriously! Think about it! Bring it up at your next advocate meeting!

Comments are closed.