Staff: Neal Bucknell, Senior Commission Counsel; Lance Hachigian, Supervising Special Investigator; Ann Flaherty, Special Investigator; and Kaitlin Osborn, Special Investigator. Gould is represented by Leilani Beaver of Beaver Legal Corporation. This matter arose from an audit performed by the Franchise Tax Board’s Political Reform Audit Program. Santana was an unsuccessful candidate for California State Senate, District 32, in the June 5, 2018 Primary Election. Santana for Senate 2018 was Santana’s candidate-controlled committee. Gould was the Committee’s treasurer. The Committee, Santana, and Gould accepted over-the-limit campaign contributions (and caused Santana’s parents to make over-the-limit campaign contributions) in violation of Government Code Sections 83124 and 85301, and Regulation 18545, subdivision (a)(1) (1 count); reported inaccurate information on a 24-Hour Report, which concealed the true source of campaign funds, in violation of Government Code Section 84203 (1 count); and caused Santana’s parents to make a campaign contribution in the name of another, in violation of Government Code Section 84301 (1 count). Total Proposed Penalty $15,000.
