Former Santa Clara City Councilman Dominic Caserta, who resigned in 2018 following allegations of sexual misconduct, now faces a hefty advantageous from a state regulator for allegedly misusing campaign funds during his run for a seat on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.

The California Fair Political Practices Commission is proposing a $65,000 advantageous against Caserta, although few details of the alleged violations were available before the panel's Aug. 15 meeting. The agenda states that Caserta made “numerous expenditures of campaign funds” that “had no legislative, governmental or political purpose, some of which provided the candidate with a substantial personal benefit.” Several of the payments were made to his wife, in line with the agenda.

In addition, the Commission accuses him of failing to “report on his activities in a timely and accurate manner in a semi-annual campaign statement” and of failing to maintain “detailed campaign records” of his donations and expenses.

Caserta, who was first elected to the council in 2002, suspended his candidacy for supervisor in 2018 when quite a few allegations of sexual harassment surfaced from campaign staff and former students at Santa Clara High School, where he taught. Prosecutors ultimately declined to file charges, citing “insufficient evidence.”

On the agenda for the August FPPC meeting, Caserta's case is listed as a “pre-default case.” FPPC spokesman Jay Wierenga said many of the commission's cases settle, but people who don't are considered a default case, which is when the person fails to reply or misses a selected deadline.

Wierenga said delinquency cases could be made public a month before the commission officially voted, primarily to “bring them back to the negotiating table.” When Caserta's delinquency was eventually acknowledged, which might occur at a later date, the case could be enforced to attempt to get the state its a reimbursement.

When this news organization asked in regards to the proposed advantageous, Caserta hung up the phone.

Originally published: August 12, 2024 at 13:00