Orange County's Campaign Finance Commission Cleans Up Political Donations

A 10-year summary of the success of the Orange County Campaign Finance and Ethics Commission in enforcing campaign finance rules.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 8:06am

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A serene, photorealistic painting of an empty government office or building interior, with warm light streaming through the windows and deep shadows, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation about the role of ethics and transparency in local politics.The Campaign Finance and Ethics Commission has helped clean up the political landscape in Orange County, though challenges remain in addressing other forms of government misconduct.Orange Today

After years of failed attempts, Orange County finally established a Campaign Finance and Ethics Commission in 2014 to audit candidate campaign statements and enforce campaign finance rules. The Commission has had a 100% success rate in obtaining compliance from candidates who received illegal campaign contributions, making Orange County no longer known as the 'Dirty Tricks Capital of California'.

Why it matters

The establishment of the Campaign Finance and Ethics Commission was a major reform that has helped restore public trust in the political process in Orange County. By ensuring all candidates play by the same rules, the Commission has reduced the influence of money in local politics and made the system more fair and transparent.

The details

The Commission was formed after 70% of Orange County voters approved it in 2014. Prior to that, Shirley Grindle had been the sole individual auditing candidate campaign statements, but enforcement had lapsed when the District Attorney stopped investigating violations. The Commission now handles auditing, enforcing violations, and providing ethics training to county employees. While the Commission has been successful, there are still issues with the county's 'hotline' system for reporting wrongdoing that need to be addressed.

  • The Campaign Finance and Ethics Commission was formed in 2014 after 70% of Orange County voters approved it.
  • The Commission has been operating for 10 years as of 2026.

The players

Shirley Grindle

The author of Orange County's Campaign Reform Ordinance (TIN-CUP) and a former Orange County Planning Commissioner who was instrumental in the Space Program.

Todd Spitzer

The Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairman who spearheaded the writing of the ordinance to establish the Campaign Finance and Ethics Commission.

Michelle Steele

The only Orange County Board of Supervisors member to vote against establishing the Campaign Finance and Ethics Commission.

Vicente Sarmiento

An Orange County Supervisor who criticized the Campaign Finance and Ethics Commission as being 'toothless'.

Andrew Do

A former Orange County Supervisor whose activities have brought attention to issues with the county's 'hotline' system for reporting wrongdoing.

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What they’re saying

“While the Commission has absolutely no involvement or jurisdiction over the hotline complaints, it has been very successful in chasing down illegal contributions.”

— Shirley Grindle, Author of Orange County's Campaign Reform Ordinance

“Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento stated that the Campaign Finance and Ethics Commission was 'toothless'.”

— Vicente Sarmiento, Orange County Supervisor

What’s next

The county is being urged to find a more effective way to handle 'hotline' complaints about wrongdoing, either by creating a new independent commission or expanding the responsibilities of the existing Campaign Finance and Ethics Commission.

The takeaway

The establishment of the Campaign Finance and Ethics Commission has been a major success in reducing the influence of money in Orange County politics and restoring public trust, even if issues remain with the county's system for reporting other types of wrongdoing.