The Office of the District Attorneys Special Prosecutions Unit is responsible for prosecuting political corruption. Political/public corruption includes all criminal acts that relate to the election to and/or holding of a public office. The integrity of the political process is vital to our democracy. Among the crimes in this category are campaign money laundering, candidate residency violations, Political Reform Act violations, conflicts of interest, misuse of public funds and Brown Act violations.
The Special Prosecutions Unit reviews all complaints of political corruption submitted to the District Attorney. Often the complaint is discussed with other agencies such as the United States Attorney, the California Attorney General and the California Fair Political Practices Commission. A determination is then reached as to which agency is best suited to handle the complaint. This decision is based on such considerations as the gravity of the violation, potential punishments and any possible conflicts of interest on the part of the District Attorney. If it is decided that the District Attorney can best handle the complaint, a thorough investigation is completed by the Special Assignments Unit of the District Attorney's Bureau of Investigations. A prosecutor specializing in these types of cases in the Special Prosecutions Unit then determines if there is sufficient evidence to prove a specific crime beyond a reasonable doubt. If so, that prosecutor will file charges and handle the case to its conclusion. The District Attorney believes that such crimes encroach on the fundamental democratic political process and should be vigorously prosecuted.
