Global Courant 2023-04-15 00:30:16
California Democratic Representative Tony Cárdenas accepted thousands of dollars from a registered lobbyist for his legal defense fund long after the alleged victim dropped a lawsuit against him, according to a government watchdog group.
On Friday, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust (FACT) filed a complaint with the Office of Congressional Ethics calling for an investigation into whether the lobbyist’s money violated house rules.
“A legal defense fund is barred from accepting contributions from a registered lobbyist, but in this case it appears that Rep. Cárdenas’ legal defense fund has done just that,” FACT executive director Kendra Arnold told me. to Fox News Digital.
The money in question went to a defense fund Cárdenas set up after he was accused of sexually assaulting a minor in a 2018 lawsuit, which the alleged victim agreed to in September 2019. Cárdenas earned about $150,000 in legal bills during the ordeal. and his legal defense fund had paid out about $148,000 at the time of his discharge.
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Representative Tony Cárdenas’ legal defense fund received thousands of dollars in donations from lobbyists, which a government watchdog group says is a violation of ethics rules. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Politicians can establish such funds with donations capped at $5,000 per person or organization per year. Meanwhile, lobbyists are prohibited from donating to them.
“A legal fees fund will be terminated upon the completion of the legal fees fund’s purpose, the end of the period for which the legal fees fund has been established, or upon the direction of the committee for non-compliance with legal fees. ‘, says FACT’s complaint.
Cárdenas’ fund continued to raise donor money long after the lawsuit was dismissed, including from Catherine Pino, the founder and co-CEO of D&P Creative Strategies, a Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm focused on “inclusive and equitable advocacy.”
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Pino pushed for a $2,000 donation to the Cárdenas defense fund in February 2021. She added a $3,000 contribution in November 2021 — more than two years after the alleged victim dropped the case against the California Democrat.
Pino was a registered lobbyist at the time of her donations and still is, according to the filings. Pino also donated thousands of dollars to Cardenas’ campaign in recent years, according to Federal Election Commission documents.
“The Cárdenas Legal Defense Fund accepted Catherine Pino’s contributions at the same time she labeled herself a lobbyist,” Arnold said. “We urge the board to immediately investigate whether Representative Cárdenas, through his legal defense fund, has accepted a contribution from a registered lobbyist in violation of House Ethics rules.”
Cárdenas previously faced allegations that he had sexually assaulted a minor. The case was eventually dropped. ((Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images))
The dismissed case against Cárdenas involved allegations that he molested a girl when she was 16, the Los Angeles Times reported. Cárdenas adamantly denied the allegations from the start.
“The congressman agreed that he would not sue her for malicious prosecution,” said Joel Klevens, one of Cárdenas’ attorneys. roll call. “She didn’t get 5 cents. It wasn’t a settlement, it was a firing.”
Cárdenas’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the contributions, and Pino did not immediately respond to an inquiry.
Joe Schoffstall is a political producer/reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected] and on Twitter: @joeschoffstall
