Menifee Mayor Scott Mann Fined $1,500 by FPPC for Failure to Disclose 2012 Campaign Contributions

The California Fair Political Practices Commission today announced an administrative penalty of $1,500 against Menifee Mayor Scott Mann for failure to disclose non-monetary contributions during his 2012 campaign for office.

According to an announcement on the FPPC website, Mann and the Scott Mann for Mayor campaign received non-monetary contributions totaling $982.25 on or about June 14-30, 2012, from the Menifee Taxpayers Association (MTA).

According to a statement released to the media by Mann, the FPPC did not substantiate any of the original allegations, which alleged violations in the use of surplus funds from his original council campaign to run for school board; failure to itemize expenditures by his school board committee; and that a candidate-controlled committee (MTA) was controlling a general purpose committee (Scott Mann for Menifee Mayor 2012).

The statement acknowledged that Mann's mayoral campaign committee was cited for not disclosing receipt of non-monetary MTA expenditures totaling $982.25 for advertising materials.

The FPPC Enforcement Division wrote in its finding that, “In this case, Mr. Mann did file all required statements to disclose expenditures and monetary contributions before the election and contended that the violation was unintentional. He cooperated fully with the investigation and the vast majority of the receipts and expenditures, totaling over $40,000, were properly disclosed.”

Mann issued an apology in his prepared statement to the media.

“I apologize to the voters of Menifee for this unintentional administrative violation of the Political Reform Act," Mann said. “I have always sought to comply with all election laws and hope that all candidates, including me, are held to the highest standard of regulatory compliance in future campaigns.”

Mann defeated Darcy Kuenzi for the office of mayor in the November 2012 election. He is up for re-election this coming November.