State investigates alleged San Diego Republican corruption

A small but vocal group of local Republicans is accusing county party leaders of conspiring to rig Central Committee elections and abusing office powers.

They allege the local party and state party’s chair of dodging campaign finance violation fines, using party resources for personal gain, ignoring party bylaws and State Election Code and harassing and intimidating other party members.

The executive director of the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) confirmed it is investigating claims that the San Diego County Republican Party chair Tony Krvaric violated the state’s independent expenditure provision of the Political Reform Act.

Two party members allege Krvaric conspired with candidates for the Republican Central Committee to stack slate mailers with people he considered “team players,” and excluded other party members from the mailers. Slate mailers are the primary means candidates use to get their names out to voters.

The complaint also names 2008 Central Committee candidates Michael McSweeney, Warene Wall, Michael Rosen, Gary Felien and Bill Baber.

California Republican Party chair Ron Nehring is repeatedly mentioned in an affidavit filed in support of the FPPC complaint, though Nehring is not the target of the investigation. The affidavit outlines more than a dozen other complaints that do not fall under the purview of the FPPC’s investigation... Read more