Two Arizona nonprofit groups have been fined $1 million for campaign finance violations in California. California investigators said the groups are affiliated with the Koch Brothers who have donated millions of dollars to conservative political causes across the country.
The California attorney general’s office announced the record civil settlement against the Arizona nonprofits. Investigators said the Center to Protect Patient’s Rights and Americans for Responsible Leadership failed to properly report $15 million in campaign contributions in support of two propositions on California’s ballot last year.
California Fair Political Practices Commission Chairwoman Ann Ravel said both groups have ties to the Koch brothers who used the non profits to try to hide where the money came from.
“Unfortunately there are many people who are using these nonprofits for the purpose of hiding behind them so that they do not have to disclose the identity of the donors,” Ravel said.
An attorney with one of the Arizona non profits said the failure to fully report the campaign contributions was a mistake and the groups thought they were in compliance with state law. The $1 million fine will be deposited in California’s general fund.