WATCHDOG INVESTIGATING KAPLAN

WATCHDOG INVESTIGATING KAPLAN

In a sudden reversal, the State Fair Political Practices Commission has decided to investigate allegations that Oakland Councilwoman and mayoral candidate Rebecca Kaplan violated state election law through her use of a campaign fund to support countywide ballot measures.

The complaints, filed by Oakland resident Gene Hazzard and mayoral candidate Dan Siegel, came after this newspaper reported that one of Kaplan's 2010 mayoral campaign workers was paid through the ballot measure fund, even though he claims not to have worked on the measure.

The state watchdog initially found that the complaints didn't show any violation of state election law but reversed itself last week after obtaining information from Oakland's Public Ethics Commission. Both agencies said they couldn't disclose the information provided because it was connected to an ongoing investigation.

Kaplan's spokesman, Jason Overman, replied that she did nothing wrong. "This is just dirty, desperate mudslinging from our opponents," he wrote in a prepared statement.

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_26434517/citywise-oakland-map-shows-seismically-prone-buildings