[Political Activity Law]

The city’s Ethics Commission today rejected a proposal for issuing a $2,050 fine for Councilman Tony Cardenas, saying the agency had been too lenient, considering that the councilman had received fines in previous campaigns. The commission’s investigators had determined that Cardenas failed to submit two scripts for automated campaign telephone calls during his 2007 reelection campaign and received three campaign contributions that exceeded the maximum $500 allowed under the city’s election laws.

The LA Times covers the proceedings.  The City Ethics Commission’s website is here.   The 211 page guide on running for city office is here (warning, it’s large).   One requirement:

Any committee, including but not limited to a candidate controlled committee and an independent expenditure committee, that makes or incurs payments for 1,000 or more recorded telephone calls or any other forms of electronic or facsimile transmission of substantially similar content, or that makes or incurs expenditures of $1,000 or more for a radio or television advertisement, in support of or opposition to any candidate(s) for elective City office, shall send a copy of the script or recording used for each communication to the Ethics Commission within 24 hours of the first time the calls, transmissions, or advertisements are made or aired.