As California’s top political watchdog, Ann Ravel has racked up several impressive victories. And as Ravel steps down this week as chair of the California Fair Political Practices Commission, she’s going out with a bang. In the past few weeks Ravel has:
- Spearheaded formation of the SUN Center, a national online clearinghouse for campaign-finance disclosure forms, campaign investigations and more.
- Celebrated Gov. Jerry Brown’s signature on two pieces of FPPC-sponsored legislation: one establishing the first-ever statewide electronic disclosure system for state, local and federal elected officials, the other expanding the agency’s authority to provide conflict-of-interest advice and enforcement.
- Leveled a $40,500 fine against three well-known Sacramento political operatives for failing to register as lobbyists.
The final feather in Ravel’s cap came Thursday, when the FPPC announced a record $1 million fine against two out-of-state nonprofit organizations that funneled $15 million into California just before the 2012 election.
Ravel’s reaction to that last-minute contribution defined her tenure at the FPPC. When a shadowy Arizona group made that $11 million political contribution to defeat Gov. Brown’s tax-hike ballot measure Prop. 30 and to help defeat the anti-labor Prop. 32, Ravel threw the FPPC’s investigative powers into overdrive.
She went all the way to the state Supreme Court to find out who was the true source of the money. Days before the election the justices unanimously ordered the group Americans for Responsible Leadership to reveal the source of its funds. (The group complied, but its disclosure only revealed two other organizations that had the money before it was funneled to California, leaving many questions unanswered.) Americans for Responsible Leadership and the Center to Protect Patients’ Rights, another group with links to conservative activists Charles and David Koch, will pay the $1 million fine. The FPPC is also trying to force the recipients of the illegal cash to turn it over to the state, as required by California law.