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Ethics panel finds former treasurer failed to file campaign statements, imposes $3 total fine
Summary
The San Francisco Ethics Commission found that Alpha Buie failed to file three semiannual campaign statements and, while finding violations, reduced staff’s recommended penalty to $1 per violation (total $3) and directed staff to help her file termination paperwork.
The San Francisco Ethics Commission on Tuesday found that Alpha Buie, identified in the record as the treasurer for the African American Democratic Club, failed to file three semiannual campaign statements covering 2012–2013 and imposed a nominal penalty.
Enforcement staff told the commission that an investigation opened in 2014 had established probable cause that Buie had not filed the three required statements. Staff recommended that the commission find the violations, strike the club as a named respondent because the probable‑cause accusation applied only to Buie, and impose $1,000 per missed filing. The staff presentation also noted the committee’s last filed Form 4/60 showed an ending cash balance of $5,216.51 on Oct. 25, 2012.
Buie told the commission she stopped acting as treasurer in 2012 after turning over the group’s books and later lost access to records because of water damage to her home. She said she repeatedly tried to obtain bank records from Wells Fargo, and staff present on the phone could not locate historic statements; Buie asked the commission for an opportunity to submit documentation showing she had relinquished the treasurer role.
Commission debate focused on proportionality and education for small volunteer committees. One commissioner said a $1,000 per‑violation penalty was disproportionate to the facts — citing Buie’s stated lack of involvement after 2012 and apparent mitigating circumstances — and proposed reducing the penalty to $1 per violation. After discussion and public comment from the club’s former president, the commission rejected the staff’s original recommendation but approved the amendment to find the three violations and impose a penalty of $1 per violation (a $3 total fine), carried by the commission vote.
The commission also directed staff to work with Buie on next steps: filing a Form 4/10 to terminate the committee (or otherwise document the committee’s status) and to file any outstanding statements up to the termination date or submit a letter of explanation if records cannot be located. Staff offered to accept a termination filing and explanatory letter if bank records cannot be produced.
