Gary Delsohn, Sacramento Bee
The state’s chief auditor issued a blistering report Thursday about Secretary of State Kevin Shelley’s use of federal election funds, documenting numerous examples of shoddy management, lack of oversight, improper spending and highly partisan activities in a program set up to be non-partisan.
The problems have already delayed the state’s ability to spend millions in federal Help America Vote Act Funds, the Bureau of State Audits said, and might require California to return some of the money it has spent.
“The office’s disregard for proper controls and its poor oversight of staff and consultants led to questionable uses of HAVA funds,“ a letter in the report from Elaine Howle, the chief auditor, said.
“As a result of these practices, the office runs the risk that the federal government may conduct an audit of the office’s implementation of HAVA and its use of federal funds and may require repayment of some, if not all, of the HAVA funds used to pay certain employees and consultants.“
In one instance, the audit said, a law firm hired by Shelley, a San Francisco Democrat, spent some of its time writing speeches for the embattled secretary of state and conducting other activities that had nothing to do with voter education or outreach.
The chair of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, Assemblywoman Nicole Parra, D-Hanford, said the panel will conduct at least one hearing on the audit, on Jan. 11. Parra said she expected Shelley to appear and answer for the agency.
