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Former East Palo Alto Mayor Antonio Lopez was fined for minor campaign violations, including late filing of campaign documents and record-keeping errors during his 2020 campaign, after City Council member Webster Lincoln filed a complaint in April 2021.
The California Fair Political Practices Commission called the measure a “slap on the wrist,” and an effort to bring the campaign into compliance, according to recent commission documents. Lopez was fined $1,263, which he paid in full after waiving his right to a hearing.
“The FPPC categorized the violations as administrative and technical, noting Lopez’s cooperation and the absence of any evidence of intentional wrongdoing or concealment,” commission documents state.
Lopez was penalized for late campaign filings, late reporting of approximately $17,500 in expenditures, missing documentation for approximately $14,000 in expenditures and using cash rather than a campaign account for $8,000 in transactions, according to the commission.
During his 2020 campaign, Lopez received the most donations at $29,500. Lincoln had received more than $16,700, while incumbent Larry Moody had approximately $14,700, according to campaign documents.
After falling short in his earlier bid, Lincoln was elected to the City Council in 2024.
The 2020 race became extremely contentious after Lopez, who was 26 years old at the time, beat Lincoln by 69 votes. Less than a month after he won the seat along with incumbents Carlos Romero and Lisa Gauthier, Lincoln filed a lawsuit against Lopez, challenging the results and claiming that he interfered with the voting process.
The complaint over campaign filings is the latest chapter in what had been a longstanding political feud. Lincoln’s earlier lawsuit alleged that Lopez unlawfully campaigned within 100 feet of a vote center on election day while offering residents free taco “incentives,” according to the Weekly’s previous reporting. Lopez hosted the “Election Day Taquiza” at Saint Francis de Aisisi church on Nov. 3, 2020.
“Lopez made a visible display of himself by so loitering and campaigning and audibly disseminated information advocating for his candidacy, and displaying his name, likeness and logo,” the lawsuit stated.
A San Mateo County Superior Court judge denied the lawsuit, ruling that Lopez was within his rights to host the event.
Neither Lincoln nor Lopez responded to requests for comment.
