Central Valley Democrat accused of misusing campaign funds by Republican watchdog

California Assemblyman Rudy Salas announced his campaign for Congress in late October, entering the race to contest Rep. David Valadao.

Less than three weeks later, a right-leaning federal watchdog filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission over whether his campaign misappropriated funds from his state Assembly run for his national one based on taped-up signs used at his launch event.

Salas, a Democrat who represents the district around Bakersfield in the California State Assembly, launched his campaign at a private event in his hometown on Oct. 18. Following the event, Republican watchdogs spotted that several campaign signs used at the event appeared to be reused from his Assembly campaign.

The signs have masking tape with the word “congress” covering what is suspected to be the word “assembly,” said the watchdog filing the complaint, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust. FACT cited an article published by a local journalist with photos of the signs used in front of Salas’ podium and held by supporters at the event. The news website’s executive editor is a former Valadao staffer and prior Fresno Bee reporter.

The Federal Election Commission, which oversees campaign finance rules, requires that a candidate’s committee “not accept funds or assets transferred from a committee established by the same candidate for a nonfederal election campaign,” meaning that money or signs from an assembly run cannot be used for a congressional one.

Per the same rules, the nonfederal committee — in this case, Salas’ Assembly campaign committee — can refund leftover funds to its contributors. The federal committee — in this case, Salas’ congressional campaign committee — can solicit donations from the same people.

Salas has not said whether the signs were taken from his Assembly campaign, deflecting questions in a recent local television interview about them.

FACT also wants the Federal Election Commission to look into other unspecified potential violations, contending that it is possible his campaign did not disclose who paid for the signs in writing on them, another FEC requirement, and how he might be appropriating leftover funds from his most recent assembly campaign.

“Salas’ refusal to answer simple and direct questions about his federal campaign indicate an FEC investigation is necessary, and it is disrespectful to the citizens who deserve straightforward answers from elected officials,” Kendra Arnold, the executive director of FACT, wrote in an announcement of the complaint.

FACT is a nonprofit that describes itself as a nonpartisan watchdog aimed at holding public officials accountable. It was previously helmed by Matthew Whitaker, an acting attorney general in the Trump administration, before Arnold took over. All of its recent complaints have been against Democrats.

“We had a great kick-off event where Rudy focused on his record of delivering for Valley families. He was the only Democrat to vote against raising the gas tax while leading on overtime pay for farm workers. Working people need higher wages, not higher taxes,” a campaign spokesperson for Salas told The Fresno Bee following the complaint. “Given the Washington Republican political establishment’s record on both those issues, we understand why they would prefer to talk about anything but that. This is a non-issue.”

Anyone can file a complaint with the FEC. The FEC reviews every complaint filed, according to the commission. If there is a violation, penalties range from “a letter reiterating compliance obligations to a conciliation agreement, which may include a monetary civil penalty.”

Valadao has had a couple of ethics complaints filed against him with the Office of Congressional Ethics, which oversees regulations for sitting representatives, including one about his use of funds in the 2018 election by a Democratic operative. The ethics office does not look into all complaints filed with its office; anyone can file one. His office has not been notified of a recent complaint about the funds, a spokesperson said.

Valadao is one of the House’s most vulnerable Republican incumbents in the 2022 midterm election, according to experts. He has represented the district since 2013, losing his seat briefly to former Democratic Rep. TJ Cox in the 2018 election and reclaiming it in 2020.

Salas is one of six challengers for Valadao’s seat. There are two other Democrats who in the race so far: Nicole Parra, a former California assemblywoman, and Delano Mayor Bryan Osorio. Democratic challenger Angel Lara, a former staffer for Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif, withdrew from the race last week.

Republican challengers are Adam Medeiros, a businessman; Martha Flores-Gibson, a consultant; and Chris Mathys, a pro-Trump businessman and former city councilor. Cox has not said whether he will run yet.

It is unclear how redistricting, the process by which legislative boundaries are reconfigured following population growth data from the Census, will ultimately alter voter demographics there. California lost a seat in the House due to slow population growth, dipping its delegation to 52, meaning maps have to accommodate for eliminating a district.

This story was originally published November 9, 2021 at 5:00 AM.

Gillian Brassil

McClatchy DC

Gillian Brassil is the congressional reporter for McClatchy’s California publications. She covers federal policies, people and issues that impact the Golden State from Capitol Hill. She graduated from Stanford University.