State election regulators are investigating Desmond’s anti-Measure G activities – San Diego Union-Tribune

State election regulators are investigating San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond for his work related to the defeat of Measure G. half-cent sales tax proposal now before local voters.

In a letter released Thursday by the California Fair Political Practices Commission, commission officials confirmed they are moving forward with a complaint filed against a North County supervisor last month.

The investigation, which is not expected to conclude before Tuesday’s general election, is looking into conflict-of-interest allegations against Desmond related to his work with the No on G political committee.

Records show the commission is also investigating a $5,000 political contribution made by donor James Silverwood of Affirmed Housing months after Desmond voted as supervisor to secure funding for the company.

The affidavit was filed Sept. 24 by Barbara Campbell through attorney Richard R. Rios.

“We are writing to notify you that the Fair Political Practices Commission’s Division of Enforcement will be investigating the allegation(s) under the Commission’s jurisdiction regarding the sworn complaint you filed in the above-mentioned matter,” the commission said in a statement. letter from October 16

“You will receive the next message from us after the final resolution of the case,” it added.

Desmond did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But his spokesman issued a statement late Thursday calling the investigation a “desperate political ploy to divert attention from the real issue.”

“Voters don’t want to pay more taxes, they don’t trust SANDAG, and a handful of insiders are going to make millions while ordinary voters are left to bear the burden,” Desmond spokesman Miles Gimmel said in an email.

Silverwood, which is not the subject of a state investigation, did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent to a company representative.

Desmond, a former San Marcos mayor who was elected to the San Diego County Board of Supervisors in 2018, has been a longtime critic San Diego Association of Governmentsor SANDAG.

The regional planning agency would be responsible for spending hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue earmarked for transportation that is expected to come from a countywide sales tax increase if Measure G is passed by voters.

SANDAG is now an item unrelated federal investigation.

Desmond said the agency has not shown it can properly manage public resources and that it misled voters who approved tax measures to fund public transit projects decades ago.

“I wouldn’t give a dime to SANDAG because they don’t keep their promises,” Desmond told CBS 8 in October interview. “They manage money badly. They have a history of mismanagement.”

The FPPC is careful to say that the opening of an investigation does not mean that the subjects of the investigation have done anything wrong. Rather, they evaluated the elements set forth in Campbell’s complaint and determined that a more formal review was warranted.

Desmond, who was re-elected in 2022 and will be fired as county supervisor after two years, likely facing fines if found to have violated campaign rules.