GOP nominee in CA-09, Tom Patti, failed to disclose all of his assets and sources of income, as required by federal law
End Citizens United (ECU) filed a complaint with the Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division asking for an investigation into Tom Patti, candidate for U.S. Congress in California’s 9th Congressional District. The complaint asks the DOJ to investigate Patti for potentially violating federal law by failing to file an accurate financial disclosure report.
Click here to read the complaint.
Click here to read coverage of the complaint in The Valley Citizen.
“Tom Patti is not being transparent with the people he’s running to represent. Just like every other candidate for Congress, Patti is required to file an accurate financial disclosure report to identify any conflicts of interest and potential corruption. But the glaring omissions in his report suggest that he thinks he’s above the law and that he doesn’t need to be up-front with voters about his business dealings,” said End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller. “We believe Tom Patti broke federal law and we’re asking the Department of Justice to investigate this matter.”
In the complaint:
- As a candidate for U.S. House, Tom Patti is required, under the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, to properly file an accurate financial disclosure report, to identify or prevent any potential corruption.
- That includes disclosing the source and amount of any income that exceeded $200, listing any and all employment positions they have held in the previous calendar year, or two calendar years for first-time filers like Patti, and reporting any and all positions they have had with non-federal organizations.
- In Patti’s financial disclosure, he failed to disclose the amount of his income from San Joaquin County, where he serves as a County Commissioner, from his boxing training services, and from the business he owns, Delta Cranes.
- He also did not disclose any checking or savings accounts or life insurance policies, and did not list any positions he has with non-federal organizations, despite listing at least five positions on his California form 700, which requires similar disclosures for elected officials in California. At the same time, Patti lists having between $25 million-$50 million in liabilities solely because of a car loan.
- The DOJ’s investigation will reveal if Patti purposefully violated federal law by omitting these vital pieces of information about his finances, and would ensure the people of California have transparency and access to the information they are legally entitled to, so they can identify any potential corruption and make a fully informed decision as to who to vote for this November.
- Under the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, the U.S. Attorney General is authorized to bring civil action against any candidate who knowingly or willfully fails to properly disclose their financial information on these reports.
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