CYPRESS : State Board Member Fined Over Mailing

State Board of Equalization member Paul Carpenter has agreed to pay a $2,000 fine for violating a state law that requires prompt reporting of campaign contributions.

In 1987, Carpenter, who had been a Democratic state senator from Cypress until he was elected to the Board of Equalization, became actively involved in a special election called to name his successor in the district, which includes parts of northwestern Orange County and part of southeastern Los Angeles County.

Carpenter’s campaign committee paid $5,000 to cover the cost of mailing a last-minute political hit piece against the Republican candidate in the race, then-Assemblyman Wayne Grisham (R-Norwalk). Grisham lost by 1,546 votes to Cecil N. Green, a Norwalk city councilman.

In papers filed with the state Fair Political Practices Commission, Carpenter admitted that his committee had failed to report the mailing expense before the election as required.