Claims, Counter-Claims Fly in Dueling FPPC Investigations

June 3, 2013 | In what might be best described as a point, counter-point argument, an Elk Grove Council Member who is being investigate...

June 3, 2013 |

In what might be best described as a point, counter-point argument, an Elk Grove Council Member who is being investigated by the California Fair Political Practice Commission (FPPC) has been aided by an anonymous source who is seeking an investigation of his accuser.

According to a story published last week by the Elk Grove Citizen, Elk Grove Vice Mayor Steve Detrick is the subject of an investigation by the FPPC for allegedly using campaign funds for personal use. Specifically, Detrick is being investigated for allegedly using campaign funds to successfully bid on a trip to Las Vegas and tickets to a San Francisco 49'ers game in silent auctions and then using the purchases for his own personal use.

According to a release forwarded to local media outlets, an anonymous source is requesting an investigation of one of Detrick accusers, Elk Grove resident Connie Conley, for allegedly using money from the Elk Grove Community Connection (EGCC) Political Action Committee to pay for her legal defense in a case involving another Elk Grove City Council Member, Pat Hume. Conley is reportedly the treasurer of EGCC.

The complaint alleges that Conley used $3,900 from EGCC to pay attorney fees involving a case with Hume. In that case the anonymous complaint claims that Hume filed a civil harassment case in Sacramento County in 2006 that was resolved in October, 2010 whereby Conley was ordered to cease personal contact with Hume and required her to pay her own legal bills.

In an email response sent to media outlets this morning, Conley acknowledged the investigation and said EGCC is complying with information requests from the FPCC. While Conley said she would not make any further comment because the investigation is ongoing, she questioned the timing of the release given the revelation of Detrick's investigation by the FPPC given the complaint was filed over one year ago.

"I am sure the complaint was sent to all Elk Grove media as a form of retaliation. And that only serves to further what we have stated many times over, if you hold elected officials accountable, there are certain to be repercussions," Conley said in her Email.

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11 comments

Anonymous said...

The timing of the release is irrelevant, assuming Ms. Conley is clean. You are clean, right, Ms. Conley? Or does your home have glass siding?

Anonymous said...

Watch out for the Connie Cunleay Dan Gougherty hate team

Anonymous said...

Ms. Conley didn’t do a very good job in looking over Detrick’s 460s for the FPPC complaint. There is more than just the Vegas trip and the 49er tickets for silent actual items that Detrick could have use personally.

One time and Detrick could plead ignorance. Habitual use? No way can that pass as a bounced check or bad bookkeeping.

You need to amend that complaint Ms. Conley since you are already under fire for doing what you rightfully by law can do.

I wouldn’t take the chance. Don’t want Detrick to sic EGPD on me.

Silent Dogood said...

Does anyone have proof that Detrick used these itmes he won? Is there proof that he attended these events or went on these trips perosnally? I don't know. He could have, but he also could have donated them back to the non-profit or given them away to a volunteer.

Of course there is proof that CC did use money from the EGCC PAC for her personal legal fees, that much is known for sure.

Anonymous said...

This is what we have come to? Perhaps the whole lot of them should be thrown out and we start again?? While all these lawsuits/complaints are flying about, who exactly is minding the store?

Anonymous said...

True Silent Dogood....just checked the Form 460 for EGCC-PAC and it actually shows $3900.00 for legal fees paid. Surely there must be some other explanation for this expenditure as I find it hard to believe that CC would use those funds for personal use.

As to the trip to Las Vegas and tickets to a San Francisco 49'ers game, most of us know he has family in Las Vegas and makes that trip occasionally along with attending a 49'ers game. Are we making a leap that these exact tickets were used for personal use? I do have a problem with CC making/filing so many complaints against Mr. Detrick in the past to take much of it seriously.....much like her past history regarding the same with
Ms. Scherman & Mr. Hume. I do wish she would get back to what she does best...fund raisers and getting/keeping the community involved in making this a better city. No one does it better, but she seems to have gone in a different direction in the past 2-3years for some reason.

Oh well, life in the city of Elk Grove. Guess time will tell if claims are true..........

http://www.elkgrovecity.org/documents/agendas/attachments/campaign-disclosures-statements/2010/Form-460-Elk-Grove-Community-Connection-Political-Action-Committee-campaign-statement-07-01-10-to-09-30-10-AMENDMENT.pdf

Anonymous said...

She and her partner Linda Ford did it and we know she did it. So lets hold her accountable as well. She and Linda Ford have cost so many people a lot of money only to find out that they were innocent. She has done some good work and I do agree with the last poster she should stick to what she does best that is bringing the community together not tearing it apart.

Anonymous said...

Timing aside, this tit for tat game is unbecoming for all parties. It is ironic that Conley is now under a microscope regarding paying her personal lawyer fees from her PAC money. The tables seemed to be turned...watch out, you know the saying about a "scorned women". Hume found out about it and got his cease and desist order against Conley. I would guess Detrick will have one shortly. Seems each may be guilty of at least poor paperwork if not actual misappropriation/deceit of PAC money. Conley did do a great job of community organizing regarding outreach, but she has burnt all those bridges now. She now has no useful connections to the city and is retaliating against perceived offender. Gone are the glory days of Conley putting on fund raisers for Cooper, Detrick and Hume. Only Davis remains unscathed. Perhaps his time is drawing near? What a sad turn of events this city council has taken. A shameful excuse for a small city government.

Anonymous said...

I agree that this is very sad for the City of Elk Grove with this type of negative news. The worst part is the 10's of thousands of dollars and loss of productivity that these allegations against our City Leaders cost all of us as tax payers. Since Elk Grove has become a city, Connie Conley has been on the attack of pretty much anyone who does not agree with her and that is just about every one of our city leaders since inception. I think it may have started with the recall effort on Leary and Cooper in the early 2000s, then the 100's of frivolous complaints filed with the City of Elk Grove, Grand Jury, Attorney General’s Office, the FPPC and who knows what other agencies, on all of our city leaders. Why, because she can legally file these frivolous complaints and there is no accountability, consequence or cost for her. I hope Connie Conley as well as anyone else who files these types of frivolous complaints will consider channeling their energy for the good of Elk Grove instead of tearing it down. I will be looking for more positive news in the near future.

Anonymous said...

Seriouly, hundreds of complaints. Don't think so, but when you are gathertng them up to post the links on this site, don't forget to include the FPPC complaint that Detrick insisted Conley file on Leary.

Oh and yes, the FPPC found Leary guilty.

Anonymous said...

Campaign finance reform with defined rules as to what are acceptable expenditures. If I donate money for a candidate I intend that the money goes to election/campaign expenses only...not to private organizations that I may not agree with. Or to other candidates that I may not want in office. And certainly a charitable contribution should come from the candidate's own personal money. I may not support a particular charity for a variety of reasons and therefore don't want my money going to them....and it is my money funneled through the candidate's campaign account that is going to the charity.

And as an aside, use of hyperbole to buttress or fortify an argument is a sure sign of a weak argument, weak mind or both.

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