Did Cristina Garcia Video ‘I Stand With Cristina’ Violate Fair Political Practice Commission Disclosure Laws?

By Brian Hews

At the height of the groping and sexual harassment allegations against California Assembly woman Cristina Garcia, a slick two-minute video emerged on Facebook entitled “I Stand With Cristina.”

The video features several local activists and politicians talking about Garcia’s “accomplishments” while saying “I stand with Cristina” in at least 75 instances.

After the latest revelation of Garcia’s racial slurs against Asians and her strong reprimand by then-speaker John Perez, the activists and politicians who “stand with Cristina” are now probably wishing they sat down for Cristina.

One local politician, ABC Board member Sophia Tse, should be particularly embarrassed as Tse is of Asian descent and is seen in the video proclaiming “she is a champion for education.”

ABC Board member Sophia Tse in the Garcia video.

Local activist Jason Stinnett proclaimed Garcia “stood up against corruption at our local water district.”

Garcia had nothing to do with exposing corruption at Central Basin, this newspaper along with others did that work.

But Garcia is the type to claim credit where none is due, similar to when HMG-CN exclusively reported in 2011 that Garcia lied about obtaining a Doctoral degree from the University of Southern California less than one month before voters decided her fate at the ballot box.

Assembly hopeful Cristina Garcia admits not having Doctoral credentials; seeks ‘forgiveness’ from voters

On her Facebook page, Garcia commented on the video saying, “Thank you so much to my constituents for putting together this video. I am humbled and honored. PLEASE LIKE & SHARE.”

The comment was followed by over 30 comments supporting Garcia.

But, what is missing from the Garcia video should catch the attention of the California Fair Political Practices Commission and trigger an investigation.

FPPC rules require a “paid for by” disclosure on anything that advertises a political campaign or promotes a politician. Somewhere on the Garcia video a paid for by disclosure should have appeared.

The public has a right to know who is paying for the advertisement, or video in this instance.

But no such paid for by disclaimer can be found on the Garcia video.

Garcia can claim, as she did on her Facebook page, that “her constituents put the video together,” but it will be a hard argument to make.

At the end of the video is a frame with the words TeamCristinaGarcia.com.

Navigating to the website finds a splash page with a picture of Garcia and a large Donate Now button in brilliant red.

The splash page on TeamCristinaGarcia.com website.

Scrolling through the website reveals Garcia accomplishments and endorsements.

The bottom of the TeamCristinaGarcia.com has the proper paid for by disclosure which reads, “Paid for by Cristina Garcia for Assembly 2016, FPPC# 1373564.

The direction to the website from the end of the video would give the casual observer the impression that Garcia was responsible for the video.

The FPPC might think so too, and start an investigation on Garcia.

Calls into the Garcia camp went unreturned, HMG-CN has sent several emails into the FPPC for comment, as of publication, no comment has been issued.