Civil Grand Jurors' Association of California

4 hours ago

www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/riverside-county-s-campaign-finance-limits-are-an-illusion-report-says/...?

Press Enterprise (Note: this article lies behind a ‘pay-wall,’ and requires a subscription to the providing media service to access)

Riverside County’s campaign finance limits are an illusion, report says
A loophole allows unlimited donations to supervisors, civil grand jury concludes

By JEFF HORSEMAN | jhorseman@scng.com | The Press-Enterprise
PUBLISHED: March 23, 2026 at 1:20 PM PDT | UPDATED: March 24, 2026 at 9:21 AM PDT

A loophole in Riverside County’s campaign finance rules lets wealthy donors give unlimited cash to county elected officials and candidates, according to a recently released civil grand jury report.
The report, “Untapped Influence: Campaign Contributions and Public Trust in Riverside County,” also cites what it calls an example of big campaign checks influencing public policy on the Board of Supervisors.

While names and specifics are not mentioned, the report appears to reference a July 2025 board meeting in which Supervisor Jose Medina’s proposal to study forming an oversight panel to bring more accountability to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department faltered.

The Riverside Sheriffs’ Association, a union representing deputies and other law enforcement personnel, opposed Medina’s plan and is a top donor to supervisors’ campaigns.
Released March 5, the jury’s 20-page report appears to refer to the union without naming it. Association leadership did not respond to a request for comment.
Earlier this month, Supervisor Karen Spiegel, the board’s 2026 chairperson, said in a voicemail that the county “is still reviewing” the report. The county has until June 5 to officially respond, according to the grand jury.
California’s civil grand juries are panels of citizens sworn in annually by judges and tasked with investigating the inner workings of public agencies and suggesting improvements.
The report scrutinizes campaign finance rules for those occupying or seeking elected office in county government — supervisor, sheriff/coroner, district attorney, assessor/county clerk/recorder, auditor-controller, tax collector and superintendent of schools.
A state law enacted in 2019 barred donors from giving more than $3,000 to someone running for city or county office.
The law, AB 571, let counties and cities set their own limits. In 2020, Riverside County supervisors, through Ordinance 963, capped contributions from one donor to $20,000 per candidate, with donor limits rising 3% in odd-numbered years.

The cap is lifted for all candidates in races where one candidate benefits from an “independent expenditure” of $20,000 or more. Independent expenditures are made by outside groups or committees that legally can’t be connected to a candidate.
Restrictions also go away if a candidate spends more than $20,000 on their campaign or transfers more than $20,000 between campaign accounts. This often happens when state lawmakers running for supervisor transfer money from their state accounts to their quest for county office.
These exceptions open the door for deep-pocketed donors to throw their financial weight around in county races, the report found, adding that the jury found “no discernable difference” in campaign donations before or after Ordinance 963 passed.
“This implies that the stated purpose in the ordinance has gone mostly unresolved,” the report states.
Elected leaders interviewed by the jury all reported accepting more than $20,000 from county employee unions and political action committees, the report concludes. Some elected officials told the jury it can cost more than $1 million to run a campaign, the report adds.
“With many of the elected officials receiving most of their contributions from these large donors, it becomes foreseeable that the officials may vote or propose legislation that is favorable for a PAC or union, but one that is not desired by their constituents,” the report reads.
“This can be done through an implied pressure from the money received or even direct suggestions that contributions may be pulled from their next election if the candidate doesn’t ‘play ball.’”
Riverside County Supervisor Jose Medina’s proposal of an oversight committee to bring more accountability to the Sheriff’s Department failed to move forward during the Board of Supervisors’ July 29, 2026 meeting. (File photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)

The report references “an agenda item of significant public interest” at the supervisors’ July 29, 2025, meeting. While the jury doesn’t mention the item, that’s when the board took up Medina’s sheriff’s oversight proposal.
Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez, who has received at least $120,000 from the sheriff’s union since 2016, left that meeting early to attend another meeting. His departure “resulted in one less possible vote to carry a motion or vote on its approval,” the report reads.

Gutierrez is reviewing the report “and it will be discussed by the board,” Derek Humphrey, a consultant to the supervisor’s campaign, said via email.
“On behalf of our campaign, I can say that running in a district with half a million residents will always be expensive,” Humphrey said.
“We are incredibly proud of the large and diverse coalition of donors and endorsers that we assembled during our first race in 2022 and again this year for the re-election. Our donors include individuals, labor unions, and businesses who care about responsive and effective leadership in Riverside County.”
The jury also criticized the board for what it said were procedural errors that delayed Medina’s item during the meeting. As a result, 22 people who signed up to speak on the item left by the time that the item was heard, the report found.
“A decision on the matter would have had a direct and measurable impact on a labor union that made large campaign contributions to several members of the Board,” the report reads. “Therefore, it appears that these large campaign contributions were, at the very least, successful in delaying a decision on this matter.”
The jury recommended removing the provision in county law that lifts contribution limits for county elected officials and outside candidates.
If they don’t, supervisors, when receiving $20,000 or more from a contributor, should publicly announce that contribution and its source when voting on an item affecting the donor, the jury recommended.
Also, the public should vote on “any campaign limit changes and campaign contribution changes for any elected county official,” the jury recommended.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct an error. The Riverside Sheriffs’ Association has contributed at least $120,000 since 2016 to the campaign of Riverside County Supervisor Yxstian Gutierrez. ... See MoreSee Less

Civil Grand Jurors' Association of California

4 days ago

Monterey County Board of Supervisors proclaimed March 2026 as Civil Grand Jury Awareness Month

Hi All,

On March 17th, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors proclaimed March 2026 as Civil Grand Jury Awareness Month. The proclamation was submitted and read by Supervisor Kate Daniels. The photo in the Supervisor's chamber is attached.

Thank you to all who have served to make our local government more efficient, effective, and accountable.

Lou Panetta ... See MoreSee Less

Civil Grand Jurors' Association of California

1 week ago

www.times-standard.com/2026/03/15/my-word-grand-jurors-association-follows-up-on-agency-board-com...

OPINIONCOMMENTARY
My Word | Grand Jurors Association follows up on agency, board commitments

By THE TIMES-STANDARD
PUBLISHED: March 15, 2026 at 5:31 AM PDT
By Victoria Joyce
(Note: this article lies behind a ‘pay-wall,’ and requires a subscription to the providing media service to access)
Once again, the Humboldt County Civil Grand Jury is hard at work on its reports. With their term coming to an end on June 30th, they are finalizing their interviews and investigations and beginning to write their reports.
When completed, the reports will be read by the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court and then released to the public. ... See MoreSee Less

Civil Grand Jurors' Association of California

3 weeks ago

Cupertino mayor gives measured State of the City speech-

Reference to the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury Report

Bay Area News Group – Mercury News

PUBLISHED: February 27, 2026 at 11:45 AM PST | UPDATED: February 27, 2026 at 10:18 PM PST
By LUIS MELECIO-ZAMBRANO

Cupertino state of the city: Mayor paints tough challenges and a resilient city
Cupertino Mayor Kitty Moore offered a speech that looked at the city’s challenges with measured optimism
Cupertino Mayor Kitty Moore delivers the State of the City speech on February 26, 2026. (Luis Melecio-Zambrano/Bay Area News Group)
In a measured State of the City speech that came as Cupertino stares down mounting financial issues, Mayor Kitty Moore offered a vision for a city that called for navigating rough waters through rigorous and transparent governing.
“The state of our city is resilient, disciplined and forward looking,” said Moore. “We are not without challenges … But we also have remarkable strengths.”
Since Moore was appointed in December, the city has grappled with a growing and ongoing set of fiscal pressures, including an impending overhaul of its city hall, a huge cut in tax revenue from Apple and a sharp hike in the cost of its contract with the county sheriff’s office.
Even before Moore spoke, that issue seemed present in the room, with representatives from the Sheriff’s department speaking in an apparent show of unity amid ongoing negotiations between Cupertino and the county. “We are very proud of the services that we provide, (the) collaboration that we have with the city,” said Undersheriff Michael Doty speaking of “continuing to work together … to ensure that this city remains safe.”
Towards the beginning of her remarks and throughout the speech, Moore spoke clearly about the obstacles facing the city. Fiscal challenges placed “tension between what we want to do and what we can afford to do” said Moore, acknowledging that regional and state pressures could affect the city’s ability to afford services or require exploring future tax measures.
She described Cupertino as an economic engine for the region that gave out millions more in taxes than it received.
Moore also painted a stark picture of California’s growing slate of increasingly rigorous policy intent on addressing the state’s housing crisis, arguing that local control had been “supplanted by a reign of ever-changing state laws” mandating more housing while putting retail at risk. In perhaps the most fiery moment in the approximately 50-minute speech, she promised to push back against that “reign” by lobbying against state laws that might limit the city’s control of its development. “It is our duty to fight for every inch of local control we have left to ensure Cupertino’s future is shaped by its residents and not by Sacramento,” said Moore to a burst of applause.
As much as the speech focused on outside pressures, it turned inward on city government itself, lauding city staff and listing off victories from hosting thousands of businesses, opening parks, maintaining trees and roads, and expanding transit options.
It also took a technocratic look at improving the transparency of the city. While she admitted that talk of “website upgrades” and “prioritization matrices” might seem technical, Moore stated that smooth, transparent governance would help the city weather the coming challenges and continue to move forward.
With that approach, the difficulties of the past and present could ultimately be approached with some optimism, making the city “more focused, more polished and more resilient,” said Moore towards the end of her address.
Many residents and officials in attendance seemed to appreciate the even keeled-nature of Moore’s speech.
“She’s not afraid to take a principled position and that has actually led to more progress … that has led to some more balanced positions and her looking at each issue on the merits,” said Seema Lindskog, a planning commissioner for the city and chair of the advocacy group Walk Bike Cupertino.
Even so, some differed on Moore’s assessment of the issues facing Cupertino. Councilmember J.R. Fruen maintained that the city had much to do before it achieved “good governance,” pointing to a civil grand jury report critiquing Cupertino’s government. He also argued that problems with housing and retail were best addressed by strategic planning of housing growth, not by lobbying against state regulations.
“When you misdiagnose the problem, you frequently prescribe a solution that is unlikely to solve it,” said Fruen, even as he appreciated the tone of the address. “She clearly put a lot of effort and thought into it … I thought that it was welcoming and optimistic.”
Still, others remained optimistic about the speech and Moore’s leadership.
“We’re in a much better place than we were two years ago, even three years ago,” said Councilmember Ray Wang, who looked ahead to the challenges facing the city. “This is going to be interesting, but the more transparent you are, the easier it is to make hard decisions. ... See MoreSee Less