DeMaio: Nathan Fletcher Should Use His $1M+ in Surplus Campaign Funds to Reimburse Taxpayers for Costs of Legal Fees and Special Election

On February 6, 2023 Nathan Fletcher announced he was running for California State Senate and said he was sitting on over $1 million in “cash-on-hand” in his campaign account. This massive war chest of campaign cash was meant to intimidate potential challengers to stay out of the race.

Now fast forward just 90 days and Fletcher is resigning from office in disgrace – after being accused by women of sexual harassment, two instances of sexual assault, and workplace retaliation.

Taxpayers are now on the hook for $5-10 million in financial losses as a result of Fletcher’s misconduct.

Today Reform California Chairman Carl DeMaio is calling on Nathan Fletcher to transfer his campaign cash to the county Treasurer’s office immediately to defray these costs.

“It is outrageous that Nathan Fletcher thinks he can stick San Diego county taxpayers with millions of dollars in costs and liabilities for his misconduct and simply walk off with over $1 million in surplus campaign funds,” says DeMaio.

“If Nathan Fletcher wants to show the public that he is ready to take responsibility for his egregious behavior, he must start by forfeiting his $1 million campaign surplus and transfer those funds to the county treasurer for use in paying for the costs of the special election to replace him and defray the millions in legal fees and settlements resulting from his misconduct against women,” DeMaio notes.

DeMaio says he is still concerned that Fletcher may attempt to stay in office.

“Nathan Fletcher has shown himself to be a manipulative and untrustworthy liar time and time again – and it is entirely possible his delayed resignation was simply an attempt to buy time for him to plot his next move,” DeMaio warns.

DeMaio and Reform California are prepared to launch a Recall against Fletcher if he does not resign on May 15 as promised.

“Our concern is he could use that $1 million campaign surplus to either fight off a Recall attempt or even run for office in the future,” DeMaio warns.

Under California state law, surplus campaign funds cannot be used for “personal or private benefit” and can only be used to make charitable or governmental contributions or used for future political campaigns. State law would certainly permit Fletcher to forfeit his campaign surplus to the county government to defray costs for his misconduct.

Reform California has launched a website to keep the pressure on Nathan Fletcher to resign at www.FilthyFletcher.com.