Is SLO County group supporting Paulding breaking law? DA warns of ‘serious concern’
The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office sent a notice to a newly formed group that has spent thousands supporting supervisor candidate Jimmy Paulding expressing “serious concern” that the committee had misclassified itself — and threatened to file charges if corrective status is not taken soon.
In a letter issued Wednesday to the South County Coalition’s treasurer, Dorothy Hines, District Attorney Dan Dow said that the committee filed campaign documents that appear to show it was not acting as a general purpose committee since it seemed to be solely supporting SLO County Supervisor Jimmy Paulding in the District 4 race.
In the committee’s filings to the California Secretary of State’s office, the group said it was created to “advocate for candidates in south San Luis Obispo County,” Hines wrote in the document.
But so far, the group has spent more than $13,000 of the more than $45,000 it has raised to date on supporting Paulding’s candidacy. It has not spent any funds on other candidates in southern SLO County.
According to the South County Coalition’s expenditure reports, it spent $13,573.83 on voter lists, phone calls, printing, professional services and mailers to benefit Paulding’s campaign as of April 23.
Dow said that the group seems to be functioning as a committee formed primarily to support Paulding, not a general purpose committee.
“Because the election is now only 41 days away, immediate corrective action is necessary to ensure timely and lawful public disclosure before the election occurs,” Dow said in the letter.
According to guidance from California’s Fair Political Practices Commission, a general purpose committee exists to support or oppose multiple candidates or ballot initiatives, while a primarily formed committee is formed to back or oppose a single candidate or measure.
The coalition, meanwhile, asserts that it is not misclassified, saying it does plan to support multiple candidates this year.
Dow’s letter was sent days after SLO County supervisor candidate Adam Verdin accused the newly formed coalition of inserting “dark money” into the District 4 race after it failed to name any of its contributors in an initial expenditure report. Verdin declined to comment to The Tribune about the DA Office’s notice to the group.
On Tuesday, the South County Coalition filed another contribution report listing three donors’ names and information. The coalition told The Tribune in an email that “any delay in filing the information was an oversight on our part.”
According to the report, retired SLO resident Ray Mattison contributed $18,000 on March 24, SLO resident Don Ernst, an attorney at Ernst Law Group, contributed $22,002 on March 25 and retired Nipomo resident Carla Haynie donated $5,000 on April 20.
In the letter, Dow said the close timing and large amounts of the two March donations “strongly suggests” that the group’s purpose is to support a single candidate.
Dow calls for committee to take ‘immediate corrective action’
Since its filings only show support for one candidate, the District Attorney’s Office called on the South County Coalition to immediately change its statement of organization to a primarily formed committee in support of Paulding.
“California law does not permit a committee to retain ‘general purpose committee’ status when, in substance, it exists to support a single identified candidate in a single election,” Dow said.
He directed the group to immediately take several actions, including determining whether it is a primarily formed committee, and if so, promptly filing an amended form identifying itself as such. Dow also told the coalition to review whether late contributions have been timely and accurately reported based on rules for primarily formed committees.
The District Attorney’s Office has the authority to enforce the state’s Political Reform Act, Dow said in the letter, and civil penalties for reporting violations could cost up to $5,000 per violation. Those who “knowingly or willfully” violate the law could also be charged with a misdemeanor.
“Our office takes enforcement of California’s Political Reform Act very seriously because fair elections depend on transparency and accountability under the law,” Dow told The Tribune in a separate statement. “Voters in San Luis Obispo County deserve to know who is funding efforts to influence their choices at the ballot box, and when the law requires disclosure, we will not hesitate to act to ensure that those requirements are followed.” When asked if his office would consider filing charges against the coalition if immediate action is not taken, Dow said “nothing is off the table,” but noted that the DA’s Office is “taking one step at a time.”
He said if the committee determines that its current classification is accurate, it should provide proof through expenditures and future activity that showcase support for candidates besides Paulding. Dow told the coalition to send written confirmation of its next steps within five days of the April 22 letter.
Coalition says it plans to support ‘multiple candidates’ this year
The South County Coalition told The Tribune that it “plans to support multiple candidates in SLO County during 2026,” including future races this fall.
The coalition said they would send a similar statement to the District Attorney’s office.
Paulding has previously told The Tribune he has no affiliation with the committee.
“By law, I have no contact or opinion on the activities of outside groups participating in the District 4 race,” he said in a new statement Thursday. “I am proud of the grassroots support behind my campaign and urge all South County residents to get out and vote by June 2.”
