Republican Club Fined By Fair Political Practices Commission

The California Fair Political Practices Commission fined the Santa Barbara County Lincoln Club and its treasurer Cory Bantilan — who also serves as chief of staff for 5th District Supervisor Steve Lavagnino — for failing to file campaign statements on time. This is the second time the FPPC has brought an action against this Lincoln Club for not filing the statements in a timely manner. They’re supposed to be submitted semi-annually. This time around, the FPPC fined the group — a countywide Republican club — $6,000. Said Bantilan: “I made a mistake by filing late and paid for it. The club hasn’t been active for quite some time, and I am currently in the process of closing the account.”