FPPC Complaint Filed on Valero Initiative

Environment California Concerned Texas Oil Company Violating State Disclosure Laws

Environment California

Sacramento – A statewide environmental advocacy group, Environment California, is filing a complaint to the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) citing concerns that Valero Energy Corporation may have violated state law by not disclosing campaign contributions for its effort to suspend the state’s clean energy law.

“We are very concerned that the oil companies behind this initiative are violating the law and misleading voters,” said Environment California Clean Energy Advocate Bernadette Del Chiaro about the group’s FPPC complaint. “Just because they are from Texas isn’t an excuse not to comply with California laws.”

A Los Angeles Times story last week reported that Ted Costa of The People’s Advocate said, “to launch signature-gathering, the group would have had to spend at least $250,000 so far, adding that it had already “spent $160,000 on research more than 60 days ago.”

According to FPPC regulations, any contributions of more than $5,000 must be reported within 10 working days. In addition to the media reports indicating that hundreds of thousands were spent more than two months ago, petitions for the Valero initiative were on the streets for signature more than a week ago according to Environment California’s complaint.

“We are concerned that a polluting Texas oil company is deceiving the public about their effort to buy their way onto the ballot to overturn California’s clean energy law,” said Del Chiaro. “According to media reports, the Texas oil companies have already spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on their campaign and received more than $600,000 in donations, but they are trying to keep it from voters in violation of state law because they know that voters won’t sign an initiative bankrolled by Big Oil.”