Blumenfield Campaign Launders Funds
Waldman Files FPPC Complaint
 
Waldman Files FPPC Complaint and Calls for Investigation into a Conspiracy to Launder Campaign Donations to Assembly Candidate Bob Blumenfield

VAN NUYS, CA – A complaint was filed today with the FPPC against Bob Blumenfield, candidate for Assembly, regarding his association with the Santa Monica based “independent” expenditure committee registered as “Valley Democrats for Change”.
 
The complaint alleges that Assembly candidate Bob Blumenfield conspired to circumvent California campaign finance regulations by laundering donations through his boss, Congressman Howard Berman and his father, Michael Blumenfield.  A committee was formed to allow both men to contribute hundreds of thousands of dollars above the legal limit.  California law limits donations to a maximum of $3,600 per person.  Both Berman and Blumenfield reached their maximum contribution amounts almost a year ago.  Campaign laws explicitly disallow “independent expenditure” committees to communicate or coordinate activities with the candidate committee. 
 
To circumvent the law, Blumenfield’s father donated over $120,000 from personal funds and Congressmember Berman donated $100,000 from his Congressional Campaign Committee account to the supposed “independent” expenditure, which is currently airing local TV ads that feature Blumenfield home videos and photos.  In response, Stuart Waldman said, “I am appalled by this laundering of funds to circumvent state law.  This is ridiculous and reeks of illegal coordination.  I believe that when the voters of the 40th Assembly district are made aware of this money laundering scheme, they won’t stand for it.”

 

Blumenfield Continues to Blatantly Violate
State Independent Expenditure Law
 
One day after Blumenfield receives first FPPC complaint, a second is filed against his campaign for distributing his I.E.’s TV advertisement in a mass campaign email.  The advertisement features video recordings made at a campaign photo shoot held after the I.E.’s formation.
 
VAN NUYS, CA – For the second day in a row an FPPC complaint was filed against Bob Blumenfield, candidate for Assembly, and a Santa Monica based committee registered as “Valley Democrats for Change”.
 
On Thursday, Bob Blumenfield’s campaign sent out an email blast stating:
“Campaign Commercial Airs- Voters are calling us about a fun, new ad that began airing recently.  Since the ad wasn’t produced by us, we do not know when it airs.  Supporters found it on
You Tube [http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001XtO2cb2PIGLZ-OankI8F5AMbglTkxvy3THBIVm_08T6gwazbXKh69GjLOoJClnbSge-G0ZFD4WVS03bj4NOJj6GhuJTb7lKE23mNo-qzV4zvbnmCK9ix8VA5Dz6c_mkXc6xdLuTRVoE=] where you can check it out if you don’t see it on your TV.”
 
The commercial referenced in the mass email was paid for by “Valley Democrats for Change,” an “Independent” Expenditure supporting Blumenfield, primarily funded by his father and his current boss.  The Blumenfield campaign’s email blast to supporters violates FPPC law because the campaign “participated in the timing, mode, intended audience, and volume of distribution” of the I.E. communication.  Blumenfield’s campaign directed his supporters and email recipients to view the commercial and reproduce the commercial, via link to www.youtube.com, using campaign resources. 
 
But it gets better.  The “independent” expenditure committee formed on March 25th produced and released the advertisement which apparently features Blumenfield home videos and clearly features video recorded during a fake press conference Blumenfield and his campaign staged on April 19th.  Pictures of the staged press conference can be found on Blumenfield’s website above the caption “April 19th”.  Follow this link: http://www.bobforassembly.com/gallery/main.php?g2_page=4.
 
Waldman campaign manager David Koenig said, “How could this I.E. get video from a campaign it’s not coordinating with 3 weeks after it is no longer allowed to coordinate unless they were coordinating?  I’d be surprised if the next ad didn’t feature video of Bob at Thanksgiving dinner while he just happens to be explaining why he would be the best candidate for the 40th Assembly District.  The video footage and mass email reek of coordination and show a blatant disregard for the campaign finance laws of this state.”


Check out the website for Stuart Waldman!