Antonio "Tony" Mendoza, Yes We Can, and John Valencia

Laundered Campaign Contributions, Over-the-Limit Contributions, Candidate-Controlled General Purpose Committee, Campaign Non-Filing, and Campaign Reporting

Fine: $6,000

FPPC No. 16/19816

Senator Tony Mendoza, discussed above, was a candidate who controlled Respondent Yes We Can, a state general purpose committee established by Senator Mendoza in his capacity as Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus to independently facilitate the election of Latino candidates in state elections. At all relevant times, Yes We Can was Senator Mendoza’s controlled committee. Respondent John Valencia was at all relevant times the treasurer for Yes We Can. As detailed in the stipulation, the Enforcement Division is recommending that the Commission approve a settlement for these three respondents for two counts, including failing to identify Senator Mendoza as the controlling candidate in Yes We Can’s statement of organization and failing to add his name in the committee’s name, and failing to timely file a preelection campaign statement for Yes We Can disclosing that it made a $50,000 contribution to Educating Voters, another state general purpose committee controlled by Senator Mendoza.