FPPC targets Mayor Johnson, former City Council candidate
Published: Monday, Feb. 10, 2014 - 11:22 am
Last Modified: Monday, Feb. 10, 2014 - 11:34 am
Donations that Kevin Johnson solicited for non-profits have once again gotten the mayor into trouble with the state’s political watchdog.
The Fair Political Practices Commission today recommended a $1,000 fine against Johnson for failing to properly report travel expenses funded by the Walton Family Foundation, the charitable organization started by the founding family of Wal-Mart.
According to the FPPC, Johnson signed a grant proposal application to the Walton Family Foundation in 2012 that included a request for money to cover travel costs for the mayor. The $500,000 grant was sought and received by Stand Up, an education organization founded by the mayor.
However, when the mayor filed his statement of economic interest with the city in 2013, he reported that the travel costs were provided by Stand Up – not the Walton Family Foundation, according to the FPPC.
“As such, the portion of the travel earmarked for Respondent (Johnson) was a gift from the Walton Family Foundation, not directly from Stand Up,” the FPPC complaint reads. “Respondent was required to disclose Walton Family Foundation as the source of these gifts of travel on his 2012 annual SEI (statement of economic interest).”
Johnson reported on his statement of economic interest that Stand Up paid $22,713 for him to