GOP tries to cover money tracks, Dems say

California Republican Party leaders made dramatic changes to finance records Wednesday, the same day The Modesto Bee reported that Democrats asked for an investigation into money changing hands in the 21st Assembly District race.

Democrats suggest the sudden shift shows that Republicans are trying to cover their tracks, while the GOP called amendments an attempt to be “truthful and transparent.”

The GOP has poured out more than a half million dollars to help Jack Mobley, who is trying to oust Democrat Adam Gray from the California Assembly on the Nov.4 ballot. Gray’s camp says the money was illegally laundered in the form of harder-to-track independent expenditures funneled from a billionaire donor through the state party to Mobley.

Independent expenditures are legal as long as the party does not coordinate with a given candidate. Democrats say that’s exactly what is going on, and cite as evidence Mobley’s open gratitude to the party for financial support.

State ethics enforcers are reviewing the complaint, said Jay Wierenga, California Fair Political Practices Commission spokesman, on Thursday.

In Wednesday’s amendments, Republicans said Mobley has received $211,516 in October independent expenditures – $286,123 less than previously reported. The party also revised the amount spent to oppose Gray by $468,167, now claiming $510,968 instead of the previously reported $42,801.

Democratic Party attorney Lance Olson called the amendments “very odd.”

“It seems like it’s in response to the complaint and to news articles written about their spending,” Olson said.

Mobley’s campaign manager, Johnny Alvarado, denied collusion earlier this week. On Thursday, he referred questions to the state party because it handles independent expenditures.

GOP party spokeswoman Kaitlyn MacGregor said all late contributions had been reported within 24 hours as required by law, and said adjusting later is nothing new.

“After further review, we saw that we wanted to make clarifications” with Wednesday’s amendments, she said. “We are wanting to make sure that what we’re putting out is as truthful and transparent as possible.”

Asked about the magnitude of Wednesday’s changes, MacGregor said, “I don’t know that it’s an unusual amount.”

Mobley had raised $68,227 before state party money began pouring in; Gray raised $389,600.

Gray has benefited from $54,000 in October independent expenditures, none exceeding the $34,000 limit set by state law for direct contributions, his camp says. Democrats accuse the GOP of taking $13 million from businessman Charles Munger and channeling hundreds of thousands of dollars to Mobley.

Democrats have spent $59,448 opposing Mobley with October independent expenditures.

The 21st Assembly District covers Merced County and western Stanislaus County, including about half of Modesto and all of Ceres, Patterson and Newman.

This story was originally published October 23, 2014 at 6:48 PM with the headline "GOP tries to cover money tracks, Dems say."