Legal Question in Civil Rights Law in California

I'm running a campaign for Governor of California and I need to know, a few things:

1. I'm planning to have people contribute money to my campaign, which I am planning to use to pay for a party in every city across California. These expenditures would include: alcohol, limo (to pick up and bring people home), and any possible fines for noise, under-age drinking, etc.

a. Is this fair game, as in would it affect my eligibilty to run?

b. What are my risks hosting it being only 20? Would the person that's 21 providing alcohol be at risk? What if people brought their own alcohol, who would get fined? What are my risks hosting it once I turn 21? Are they greater or less serious?

c. I'm assuming the only risks are a number of fines. Can you give me a list of possible fines for these scenarios and fines for any other possible scenarios I should know about?

d. If I plan to have underage drinking or if I don't plan to have underage drinking, and somoehow there is, does this change any risks? Risks as in fines?


Asked on 7/27/09, 6:23 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Stone Law Offices of Michael B. Stone Toll Free 1-855-USE-MIKE

It certainly wouldn't help your campaign any if your events featured underage drinking, planned or unplanned. Serving alcohol to minors is a criminal offense,.and nothing scares those voters away like television footage of the candidate doin' the old perp-walk (you could get jail time as well as fines). You could also get sued if those underage drinkers crash their cars and kill other registered voters (who also won't be able to vote for you).

Also, your limited campaign funds would be better spent on TV commercials than on limos or booze. Most experienced politicians have cash bars at their events (and the bartenders check ID).

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Answered on 7/27/09, 10:02 pm


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