{"id":152,"date":"2009-10-10T18:06:00","date_gmt":"2009-10-10T18:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/terragrafix.com\/blog\/?p=152"},"modified":"2009-10-10T18:06:00","modified_gmt":"2009-10-10T18:06:00","slug":"vice-mayor-ken-bukowski-guilty-of-campaign-violations-must-pay-fine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.thesecretnewsonline.com\/?p=152","title":{"rendered":"Vice-Mayor Ken Bukowski Guilty of Campaign Violations, Must Pay Fine"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>
The Oakland Tribune<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.insidebayarea.com\/news\/ci_13528594<\/p>\n

Emeryville’s vice mayor fined $15,500
for campaign violations<\/span><\/span>
By Cecily Burt
Oakland Tribune
Posted: 10\/09\/2009 05:57:35 PM PDT
Updated: 10\/09\/2009 07:52:15 PM PDT<\/span><\/p>\n

The State Fair Political Practices Commission voted unanimously Thursday to enforce a $15,500 fine against Emeryville Vice Mayor Ken Bukowski for campaign finance violations, including his personal use of campaign funds.<\/p>\n

The commission found that Bukowski failed to maintain records necessary to prepare campaign statements for the reporting period July 1, 2003, through Dec. 31, 2003; failed to file four semiannual campaign reports; made cash expenditures of $100 or more; and made 11 payments to himself from his campaign account for personal expenditures unrelated to the campaign.<\/p>\n

The commission also found that Bukowski failed to file required Statement of Economic Interest forms for the years 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.<\/p>\n

Bukowski admitted that he used the campaign fund for his personal expenses because he was broke. He said he thought at the time that he would be able to repay the fund, but he never did.<\/p>\n

Bukowski unsuccessfully requested that the hearing be postponed and the penalty be reviewed because he said the penalties were excessive for the nature of the violations. He also said he was under severe stress because of his inability to pay the fine.<\/p>\n