FPPC Takes Money Laundering Allegations Against Assemblyman Roger Hernandez to Court

The Fair Political Practices Commission is looking into whether money laundering occurred during Assemblyman Roger Hernández’s 2010 campaign.

The Sacramento Bee reported that the California political watchdog organization is battling with a lawyer representing the lawmaker to get access to bank records.

Hernández represents a portion of Monrovia.

The investigation involves a $3,900 contribution Hernández’s lawyer Aldo A. Flores made to the assemblyman's campaign in 2009, reported the newspaper. The case is now in being reviewed in the Los Angeles Superior Court because Flores sought to block the release of the records to the FPPC.

“Evidence from the bank records may show (Flores) was reimbursed for his payment to the Hernández for Assembly 2010 campaign committee,”  wrote the FPPC in its filing, according to the newspaper.

Hernández issued the following statement late Wednesday regarding the allegations:

“I am dismayed to learn that allegations which are over 5 years old have surfaced in such a manner.  This story is about one very old fact.  It’s about a $3900 check to my assembly campaign in 2009.  The story is also about the fact that the FPPC has no information that the check was improper.  Since the beginning of this investigation I have fully cooperated with the FPPC and as such provided all records that have been requested of me. In the 5 years since these allegations were raised, the FPPC has not prompted any official letter of accusation. 

This blanket attack is nothing more than an attempt to tarnish my name by powerful interest groups that see me as a threat for the work that I am doing on behalf of hard-working Californians.  The important fact is that I will not be deterred from pursing my legislative agenda for the residents of my district and the state on important social and economic issues facing all Californians.

Protecting workers’ rights, district-based elections and financial literacy measures are issues that have garnered wide-spread public attention and I am proud to continue to carry legislative measures that will ultimately protect the very-hard working families I was elected to serve.”

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