A top California Republican who backed Democrat tax hikes now faces ethics probes after allegedly using campaign cash to help fund two affairs and thousands in bar tabs.
Story Snapshot
- Assembly Republican leader Heath Flora was ousted as caucus chief amid mounting ethics investigations and outrage over his vote for local tax hikes.
- State watchdogs are probing Flora’s behested payments and whether he misused campaign funds on bar tabs, travel, and personal spending.
- A former lobbyist says Flora carried on an extramarital affair while married, claiming he drank on the job and abused campaign accounts.
- Reports show Flora’s campaign and committee spending centered on bars, sports, and Kentucky Derby trips with special interests far from his district.
California GOP Leader Removed After Ethics Probes and Tax-Hike Vote
California Assembly Republicans removed Heath Flora as their minority leader after a wave of backlash over his spending and his decision to side with Democrats on higher local sales taxes. Flora and another Republican leader were the only members of their party to back a bill letting 14 local governments raise sales taxes above existing caps, even as residents struggle with the cost of living. That vote, combined with new ethics investigations, triggered a revolt inside the caucus and prompted a quick leadership change.
A report said the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission opened two separate investigations into Flora’s political finances. One probe focuses on his behested payments, which are donations he urged from groups that often have business before the Legislature. Another looks at possible misuse of campaign money, including heavy spending at a Sacramento bar more than 50 miles from his district. These inquiries raise sharp questions about whether Flora treated donor cash and political accounts as his personal slush fund instead of tools to serve voters.
Bar Tabs, Derby Trips, and Campaign Cash Tied to Personal Conduct
Filings reviewed in recent reporting show Flora’s campaign spent more than $11,000 at a local bar and grill, with many charges labeled as “district meetings” despite the location being outside his district. A Sacramento Bee investigation found he spent over $600,000 in special interest campaign donations, much of it on travel, lodging, meals, and entertainment far from home. Separate reports describe a ballot initiative committee that raised tens of thousands of dollars from pharmaceutical and prison interests, then spent the money almost entirely on Kentucky Derby “fundraisers” with lobbyist friends.
That same Bee investigation detailed serious personal issues tied to public money. Court records showed Flora failed to pay child support until a judge ordered wage garnishment, including a $16,000 back payment. Reporters also found he claimed more than $85,000 in tax-free per diem meant for lawmakers who live far from the Capitol, even though he apparently resides full-time in Sacramento. These findings deepen the picture of a politician who may have used taxpayer and donor money to cushion his lifestyle while everyday families struggle with inflation and rising taxes.
Affairs Allegations and Collapse of Local Conservative Support
Ethics worries intensified after a former lobbyist for the California Medical Association publicly described an extramarital affair with Flora while he was married with children and serving on the Assembly Health Committee. She said the relationship and his drinking harmed her life and claimed he misused campaign accounts, alleging “everyone is privy to his excessive drinking.” Because the medical group was a major donor and pushed bills before his committee, watchdogs warned that this affair could present a serious conflict of interest for a lawmaker expected to vote independently.
Conservative leaders in his own backyard have now turned away from Flora. Local Republican central committees across his district chose to endorse challenger Jim Shoemaker instead of the sitting Assembly minority leader. Party activists cited Flora’s residency questions, his per diem claims, and the lobbyist affair as key reasons to abandon him. In their view, a Republican who backs Democrat tax hikes and uses political money for bars and affairs cannot credibly fight for limited government, family values, and fiscal discipline in a state already hammered by high taxes and poor management.
Sources:
nypost.com, sacbee.com, californiaglobe.com, govinfo.gov, reddit.com, instagram.com
