Former Sen. Strickland faces allegations he violated campaign finance rules

The state ethics agency reported Monday that probable cause has been found to believe that former state Sen. Tony Strickland aided three supporters in disguising that they were the true source of $65,000 in contributions to his campaign for state controller in 2010.

The probable cause finding was issued by the legal division of the state Fair Political Practices Commission, and Strickland can challenge the findings at a hearing of an administrative law judge.

The allegation is that supporters gave the money to the Ventura County Republican Party and the Stanislaus Republican Central Committee and it was improperly earmarked to be passed on to Strickland’s campaign, a process that disguised the original contributors.

Strickland, a Camarillo resident, is also accused of accepting the contributions even though they exceeded campaign contribution limits.

In a separate case, the FPPC staff is recommending that Assemblywoman Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield) be fined $400 fine after her campaign committees failed to pay a $50 fee to the secretary of state’s office.