Antonio Villaraigosa

Antonio Villaraigosa has faced various ethics and campaign finance controversies throughout his career: In 2011, he agreed to pay nearly $42,000 to resolve investigations into his failure to report free tickets to 34 events, including sports games and concerts. Also in 2011, a fundraiser for his mayoral campaign was charged with illegally funneling $26,000 in contributions, a practice known as money laundering. A similar 2009 case involved two businessmen fined $312,000 for laundering contributions to his 2005 campaign. In 2007, he faced accusations of 31 violations of campaign finance laws regarding his 2003 City Council race, including exceeding contribution limits. In 2005, he returned $47,000 in donations from Florida-based firms amid a District Attorney investigation into potential money laundering. Additionally, an audit in 2005 identified $9,250 in excess contributions to his mayoral campaign. In 2005, he reimbursed Ameriquest $150 for a gift basket that exceeded the $100 legal limit and faced criticism for paying below-market rates for use of a private jet. In 2001, he paid a $5,100 fine for exceeding contribution limits in a previous race. Also in 2001, he was criticized for writing a letter of support for a drug trafficker whose sentence was later commuted. Regarding fossil fuel interests, he has been criticized for accepting over $1 million in support from the industry throughout his career, with allegations that he violated a 2018 campaign pledge by accepting over $100,000 in oil-related donations during his current gubernatorial bid.