The state’s campaign finance watchdog on Wednesday referred allegations of campaign finance violations by Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke to prosecutors.
Luke’s attorney, David Louie, declined to comment beyond a letter he sent the commission last month asking the panel to put the matter on hold while a criminal investigation was underway.
The Campaign Spending Commission didn’t reach any conclusions about the allegations, Chairperson David Chee said.
Luke’s campaign filed late reports for more than $32,000 in contributions and failed to report $50,000 in spending, said Eunice Park, the commission’s general counsel.
In addition, 232 checks were written by people who weren’t authorized to do so, Park said.
“Reviewed as a whole, these are not minor technical errors,” Park told the commission.
The violations occurred on a campaign for a candidate who chaired the House Finance Committee and was a 24-year veteran of the Legislature, Park said.
“That candidate went on to win the race and had the ample opportunity to correct these violations,” Park said.
Park said the commission’s mission is to maintain the integrity and transparency of the campaign finance process and to enforce campaign finance law.
“These laws and regulations exist because the public has the right to know who is funding the candidates, how campaign money is being raised, and how it is being spent, and whether that money is being used for legitimate campaign purposes,” Park said.
The conduct described in a civil complaint submitted by staff to the commission “strikes at the core of that purpose,” Park said.
The commission deferred other potential actions, like civil fines, until after any criminal proceedings are resolved.
Luke, a Democrat, has been taking an unpaid leave of absence since April after her attorney said she was the target of a bribery investigation by the state attorney general.
Federal and state authorities have been investigating a bribery incident from over four years ago. The incident happened in January 2022, when an "influential state legislator" allegedly accepted $35,000 in a paper bag.
Luke said she did not take any money in a bag but in 2022 she reported returning two campaign donations from two lobbyists that totaled $10,000. She received the funds at a dinner in January 2022, which fit the description and time period of the $35,000 allegation.
The commission also sent prosecutors information about alleged violations by Luke’s campaign and campaign staffers.
Three members unanimously voted in favor of referring the cases to prosecutors.
Only three members of the five-person commission voted because one seat is vacant and one member cited a potential conflict of interest.
Vice Chair Danton Wong recused himself from deliberations and voting because he donated to Luke’s campaign before becoming a commissioner.
