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Letter of Complaint Filed Against City of Pomona Ethics Commissioner for Violation of Political Campaign Laws
Updated 8/15/2024 | 9:12 am PT
Updated 9/12/2024 | 3:05 pm PT
On August 8, 2024, the law office of Rutan & Tucker, LLP, submitted a letter of complaint claiming that City of Pomona official Ethics Commissioner John Clifford illegally participated in a City of Pomona ballot measure campaign. They directed the letter to the City of Pomona Attorney Sonia Carvahlo; the California State Attorney General Rob Bonta; and Los Angeles’ District Attorney George Gascon.
The law offices of Rutan & Tucker are representing Pomona Kids First, the political committee that supports the ballot measure, Pomona Fund for Children and Youth Act which will be on the November 2024 ballot. They claim that Ethics Commissioner John Clifford “blatantly” violated the law prohibiting government officials from using public resources for political campaigns and submitted copies of his emails that show that the Commissioner used his government email address to campaign for a “no vote” on the initiative, directing his emails to both private individuals and media outlets -including the LA Times - during city business hours.
First email sent by Ethics Commissioner John Clifford the public, including various news outlets.
Final email sent by Ethics Commissioner John Clifford.
According to the Pomona Kids First Initiative website, “If approved by voters, the fund will be used for programs and services that promote health and well-being” for the children who reside in the city. If passed, there will be “an allocation of an initial 2% from the city annual actual unrestricted general purpose revenues that will be transferred into the Children and Youth Fund established by this initiative. Following the initial year of the implementation of this initiative, 5% of the city’s annual actual unrestricted general purpose revenues will be allocated towards this fund with an increase of 1% in the years proceeding until 10% is set aside for this fund. Along with establishing this fund, the initiative will establish the Department of Children and Youth whose primary function will be to oversee the implementation of the Children and Youth Fund and ensure that the Children and Youth Fund meets the goals and requirements outlined in the initiative.”
As stated in his email, Ethics Commissioner Clifford has depicted the initiative as a “money grab,” which appears Clifford wants to preserve the status quo.
Julian Lucas, is a photographer, a purveyor of books, and writer, but mostly a photographer. Don’t ever ask him to take photos of weddings or quinceaneras, because he will charge you a ton of money.
Julian is also the owner and founder of Mirrored Society Book Shop, publisher of The Pomonan.
Miranda Sheffield Candidate for Pomona District 6 Receives the LA County Democratic Party's endorsement
Photo Courtesy of Los Angeles Democratic Club ©2024
Pomona, California. — Miranda Sheffield has received the LA County Democratic Party's much-coveted endorsement. Her list of supporters, which already includes the California Faculty Association, Black Young Democrats, and Teamsters Local 1932, is significant. These latest endorsements only add to it.
Sheffield has made tremendous progress in her bid for the 6th district Council seat in Pomona since her impressive performance in the March 2024 primary election. After her stunning victory over the local political establishment's chosen candidates, Miranda is poised to become District 6's first African American councilwoman.
Vice Chair of the LA County Democratic Party Patt Sanders stated, “Miranda's passion and commitment to helping others will bring new ideas and energy to compassionately solve our homeless crisis, reduce the cost of living, and expand year-round programs and activities for youth in Pomona.”
“Miranda's passion and commitment to helping others will bring new ideas and energy to compassionately solve our homeless crisis, reduce the cost of living, and expand year-round programs and activities for youth in Pomona.”
LA County Democratic Party Vice-Chair, Patt Sanders
Miranda spent the most of her childhood in the foster care system. Pomona is where she found her stability with her second mom. Miranda is a graduate of Cal State LA and Pomona High School. Miranda returned to Pomona to raise her daughter after earning her master's degree in Human Rights Law from SOAS University of London. There, she developed into a proponent of sensible public safety reform and affordable housing.
Miranda is a member of the California Faculty Association, a college professor at Cal State LA, and has served on Pomona's Cultural Arts Commission and Police Oversight Commission.
District 6 in Pomona is a diverse working-class community with historic White and African American communities, and emerging Latino neighborhoods. Pomona is the 7th most populace City in LA County with 150,000 residents.
The Pomonan is the cultural structure, empowering visionaries to propel the global society to the future.
Pomona City Council Candidate Receives Contribution from a Tax Exempt Business
As we are all preparing for either new leadership and or continuing to keep the current. Issues are ramping up both federally and on the local level.
The Pomonan recently accessed the campaign filings for District 6 City Council candidate Lorraine Canales and discovered what looks like a campaign finance violation.
On page 17, Canales discloses a $100 campaign contribution received on 6/23/2024 from PCS Family Services, Inc., a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) business (recognized as such in 2018), which Propublica reports generated $938,000 in revenue.
According to the IRS, (Internal Revenue Service) Under the Internal Revenue Code, all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made on behalf of the organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign activity. Violating this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise taxes.
We reached out to both candidate Lorraine Canales and PCS Family Services Inc. To date, neither has responded to our request for comment.
It all raises the issue that there needs to be more public awareness about campaign finance laws.
Julian Lucas, is a photographer, a purveyor of books, and writer, but mostly a photographer. Don’t ever ask him to take photos of events because he will charge you a lot of money. Julian is also the owner and founder of Mirrored Society Book Shop, publisher of The Pomonan, and founder of Book-Store.
Investigative Report: Did Current City Council Members Victor Preciado and Steve Lustro Properly Disclose the Campaign Contributions they received from Pomona Police Officers' Association in 2018?
During the 2018 election cycle, the Pomona Police Officers Association PAC (PPOA) made campaign contributions to three Pomona City Council candidates for around $9,000 each - Victor Preciado, Steve Lustro, Christina Carrizosa. Preciado and Lustro won their election that year and are currently sitting members of Pomona’s City Council today.
In recent days, it has come to the attention of the Pomonan editorial Board that these campaign contributions were not properly reported.
In the fall of 2018, the PPOA paid more than $41 thousand to the Freedman Public Affairs for mailers to support the campaign of Victor Preciado, Steve Lustro, who won their election, and Christina Carrizosa, who lost hers.
According to CalAccess, District 2 council member Victor Preciado received a total of $9,689.12, and District 5 council member Steve Lustro received $9.396.56 from the PPOA through contributions and late independent expenditures.
Before assuming office on Dec. 3, 2018, both officials filed a California Form 700, also known as Statement of Economic Interests form, but neither reported the amount received from the PPOA. The form is meant to prevent decisions made by public officials from being influenced by their personal financial interests.
Pomona Ordinance No. 4298 states any person holding a position in Government Code Section 87200 needs to file any required Statement of Economic Interests report online or electronically with the City Clerk.
The PPOA made 83 donations to Preciado’s campaign and 72 donations to Lustro’s campaign of different totals ranging from $72.54, $27.67, $26.86, $1,436.07 and $678.59 from Sept. 2018 through Nov. 2018.
On his 700 form, Preciado reported his salary working with the Kellogg Company and from the San Gabriel Valley Conservation Corps as in the range from $1,001 to $10,000, but did not report the amount donated to his campaign by the PPOA.
Lustro did not report any of the donations from the PPOA or any other salary that might influence his decision making. See both Form-700
Under the Pomona City Code, Article II, Sec. 10-34, it stated that a candidate shall not solicit or accept any contribution which will cause the total amount contributed by such person with respect to a single election in support of or opposition to a candidate that exceeds $500.00.
However, Section 10-36 of the same code states that all contributions, including campaign contributions, exceeding $25 needs to be reported.
During the same election, the PPOA also made 72 donations that equated to $9,449.49 to the campaign of Council member Christina Carrizosa of District. Carrizosa was currently on the Council at the time, but lost her position to current Pomona City Council member, Nora Garcia.
The Police Oversight Starts Today (POST), a coalition of Pomona and area residents, filed a complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission in Aug. 2021 claiming the PPOA caused a conflict of interest when it donated sums of money to certain council members and not equally to every potential candidate.
Council member Preciado, recently contacted, said he wasn’t aware of the money. He also stated that, the form does not need to have that kind of payment on it:
“While [the PPOA] have to state who they are using it for, they actually can’t legally coordinate or talk to the candidate about it. In this example I wasn’t aware of this expenditure or what they used it for.”
To date, Pomona city council member Lustro has not responded to this reporter’s request for comment.
Pomona: Primary Election Results
Published 3/11/2024 | 8:10 am PST
Though ballots are still being counted, and the votes for the 2024 primary election won’t be officially certified until April 12, 2024, it looks like there will be run-offs in November between the following local candidates:
POMONA CITY PRIMARY NOMINATING ELECTION Member of the City Council, 1st District candidates Debra Martin (40%) and the incumbent John Nolte (36%).
POMONA CITY PRIMARY NOMINATING ELECTION Member of the City Council, 4th District candidates Guillermo Gonzalez (36%) and the incumbent Elizabeth Ontiveros-Cole (35%).
POMONA CITY PRIMARY NOMINATING ELECTION Member of the City Council, 6th District candidates Lorraine Canales (38%) and Miranda Sheffield (34%).
The Pomonan endorses Miranda Sheffield for the Council, 6th District. With a Master’s in Public Policy, she has served on various Commissions and is a constant contributor at Pomona’s City Council meetings.
The citizens of Pomona once again re-elected incumbent Tim Sandoval (53%) for Mayor.
The citizens passed both Measure P and Measure X, sales tax measures that, according to estimates, will bring $16.8 million and $5.8 million annually to the City, respectively.
Gil Cisneros, a former congressman and Democrat, (23%) will face off against Daniel José Bocic Martínez, a Republican (20%) for the 31st Congressional District seat in November.
For State Assembly, Republican Nick Wilson (32%) will be in the run-offs against the former Assemblyman Freddie Rodriguez’ wife, Michelle Rodriguez (23%). Freddie Rodriguez termed out of his office and ran this round for Pomona Mayor against Tim Sandoval, but came up short. In the Assembly race, Wilson and Rodriguez nosed out Pomona Council Member Robert S. Torres (20%), son of newly re-elected Congresswoman Norma Torres (54%).
Incumbent District Attorney Democrat George Gascón faced considerable opposition in this primary. At only 24% of the vote, he will be in the run-offs against Republican Nathan Hochman(17%).
This primary election was, again, marked by low voter turnout across the county, but certainly in Pomona. Nearby Pasadena, with about 12,000 fewer residents than Pomona, had more than double the voter turnout.
The Pomonan is the cultural structure, empowering visionaries to propel the global society to the future.
Breaking: District 4 Candidate Guillermo Gonzalez Declares other Candidates have Violated Campaign Finance Laws
Published February 26, 2024 | 8:15am PST
Pomona, CA – The campaign committee of Guillermo Gonzalez for Pomona City Council 2024 has learned that both campaigns for Elizabeth Cole and Chara Swodeck are in current violation of Pomona’s campaign expenditure limits. Both candidate’s campaigns agreed to expenditure limits in return for printing a candidate statement. This rule was adopted by the voters in 2022 as part of the charter amendment updates. The city has thus far refused to enforce these expenditure limits, penalize the campaigns of the candidates, or take any meaningful action despite these apparent violations.
We will continue to monitor the situation, but this type of corruption is unacceptable, is contrary to the laws adopted by the city and state and should immediately disqualify these candidates for any position due to their actions. This campaign has reached out to the city and is seeking an immediate remedy. In the interim, the campaign seeks a statement from those organizations and elected officials who have endorsed these candidates to see if they condone such actions and if they will continue to support candidates who have demonstrated a complete lack of integrity and have seemingly violated the city’s campaign expenditure limits. The campaign has also forwarded complaints regarding both campaigns to the FPPC to seek an investigation and immediate remedy.
Organizations or elected officials who have endorsed Chara Swodeck:
Teamsters 1932
Mayor Tim Sandoval
Councilmember John Nolte
Councilmember Victor Preciado
Councilmember Nora Garcia
Organizations or elected officials who have endorsed Elizabeth Cole:
Pomona Police Officers Association
Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 398
Rep. Norma Torres
Councilmember and Assembly Candidate Robert Torres
BizFed PAC
Guillermo4Pomona@gmail.com
Guillermo Gonzalez has a Master of Science in Public Administration from California State University – Los Angeles where he graduated with honors. He has been a resident of Pomona since 2011 and is currently a candidate for Pomona City Council.
Podcast: League of Women Voters Hosts Pomona Candidates Forum
Published 02/08/2024 | 9:50pm PST
The League of Women Voters of California is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization working to protect and expand voting rights, build grassroots power in our communities, drive policy change on the biggest challenges facing our state, and ensure everyone is represented in our democracy.
The League of Women Voters of Mount Baldy Area held a forum for the city of Pomona candidates seeking to represent Districts 1, 4, and 6 starting in January. A mayoral forum was also featured in the forum.
Pomona Mayoral Forum
Tim Sandoval, Gustavo Ramirez, Veronica Cabrera, and Freddie Rodriguez
District 6 Candidates Forum
Miranda Sheffield. Glenda Barillas. and Lorraine Canales
District 1 Candidates Forum
John Nolte, Eugenio Diaz, Luis Cano, John Mendoza
District 4 Candidates Forum
Chara Swodeck, Elizabeth Cole, Guillermo Gonzalez
The League of Women Voters was officially founded in Chicago in 1920, just six months before the 19th amendment was ratified and women won the vote. Formed by the suffragists of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, the League began as a "mighty political experiment" designed to help 20 million women carry out their new responsibilities as voters.
Community Responses: 2024 Mayoral & City Council Poll
By Julian Lucas
Published 12/20/2023 | 11:15 Am PST
Earlier this month, the Pomonan published an election poll, which included the race for Mayor and City Council Districts 1, 4, and 6. Additionally, the Pomonan asked a series of three questions in regards to transparency, accountability & election promises, and what issues voters feel need to be addressed.
The mayoral poll took a shocking turn when candidate California Assembly Member, Freddie Rodriguez from Assembly District 52, announced his candidacy for Mayor. Mayor Tim Sandoval, the incumbent, leading poll popularity was humbled and Rodriguez took a slight lead at the time of the poll’s closing.
Initially, District 1 City Council incumbent, John Nolte, had an enormous lead, but this lead quickly shrunk when Pomona Library Board of Trustees Commissioner Debra Martin made it known she was also running.
District 4’s incumbent, Elizabeth Cole-Ontiveras continues to lose popularity as voters continue to choose between the two other contenders, Chara Swodeck and Guillermo Gonzalez. Gonzalez has a commanding lead over both candidates.
There is no incumbent for the 2024 City Council race for District 6. The three contenders, Lorraine Canales, Miranda Sheffield, and Glenda Barillas are almost level at this point.
When individuals run for office, they promise to perform certain tasks once elected. Since the poll became active on December 4th voters have voiced their concerns about the functionality of the city. 76.6% of voters feel the leadership has not fulfilled their tasks as promised.
Voters also voiced their concerns about the lack of transparency in government. 76.6% feel there isn’t transparency within the government..
57.8% of voters feel Mayor Sandoval has not addressed important issues such as economic development, city budget management, infrastructure improvements, along with social equity and inclusion. While 20.8% voiced their confidence in the Mayor, but 20.1% said they were unsure.
Furthermore, community members were able to voice important concerns regarding what they’d like to see addressed by city leaders. Many concerns were voiced and the majority of what was concerning was crime, prostitution, and the unhoused situation. We have provided a list of items that are important concerns for the people of Pomona. This list does not include all concerns and many of the responders’ concerns were the same.
The concerns they listed tallied in this order: Crime followed by Taxes, Homelessness, Economic Development and Youth Services.
The poll will close in 5 days, but The Pomonan plans to repoll in the spring and fall. The poll represents 154 people so far. They are responding in a city within a county that are both notorious for low voter registration rates and low voter turnout rates.
The Pomonan sends an open invitation to all candidates to submit substantive op-eds stating their position on an issue (or issues) that they consider critical to our community. No campaign propaganda, please. The Pomonan plans to publish articles where a candidate takes a stand, explains their position and explains how they plan to address the issue.
Julian Lucas, is a photographer, a purveyor of books, and writer, but mostly a photographer. Don’t ever ask him to take photos of events. Julian is also the owner and founder of Mirrored Society Book Shop, publisher of The Pomonan, founder of Book-Store, and founder of PPABF.
