No wrongdoing found on First Five
The Sacramento County district attorney’s office announced Tuesday that it had found no wrongdoing at the California Children and Family Commission, originally chaired by Hollywood entertainer Rob Reiner.
Sen. Chuck Poochigian (R-Fresno) called for the investigation earlier this year after The Times reported that the commission, generally known as the California First Five Commission, used more than $20 million in tax money to air television ads touting the benefits of preschool.
At the same time, Reiner was beginning an initiative campaign to create a state-funded preschool.
Voters rejected the initiative in June.
Dist. Atty. Jan Scully of Sacramento said in a statement that investigators concluded there was no “reasonable possibility that further investigation or legal action would result in any judgment, civil or criminal, against the commission, its members, or staff.
“Accordingly, we will take no further action in the matter.”
Scully’s decision follows a Bureau of State Audits report last month that the commission’s use of state tax money for the television ads was legal.
Reiner, who stepped down from the commission earlier this year, said in a statement that he is “glad that today’s announcement both reinforces what I have said all along and finally puts this issue to rest.
“I hope it will now be possible for the public to focus on the significant achievements of First Five and on the enormous work still to be done on behalf of California’s children.”
Poochigian, who lost his bid for California attorney general earlier this month, could not be reached for comment.
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