A Santa Ana City Council candidate is under investigation for allegedly misusing campaign funds, officials said.

State officials launched an investigation last week against Jose Solorio, a former state assemblyman who also previously served on the City Council. He is running for the seat representing Ward 3 in the Orange County city.

Solorio, has been criticized by some who accuse him of being a political carpetbagger.

Earlier this year, he moved to an apartment in Ward 3 to run for the open seat on the council. His family still lives in Ward 1. He is accused of using campaign donations to rent the apartment.


California Fair Political Practices Commission officials are investigating whether Solorio violated state law, commission spokesman Jay Wierenga said.

Wierenga said he could not comment specifically on Solorio’s case because the investigation is ongoing.

But he said that campaign funds cannot be used for personal expenses.

“The law is pretty clear about personal use of campaign funds and it’s pretty well forbidden,” he said.


The complaint against Solorio came from David De Leon, a notary who is Solorio’s rival for the council seat.

Solorio, who said he’s since paid back his campaign, said he believed he was permitted by law to use campaign funds to pay for his rent since his apartment also served as his campaign headquarters.

“In an abundance of caution, I decided to discontinue this arrangement and have reimbursed my campaign,” Solorio said in a prepared statement.

Solorio’s campaign finance disclosure covering Jan. 1 to Sept. 24 shows that the council candidate paid $1,867 to Far West Management Corporation in Irvine for an apartment in Santa Ana.


FPCC guidelines state that it’s illegal for a candidate and campaign to jointly lease a property. It could only be legal if there are two separate leases — one for campaign business and another for personal use.

It’s unclear whether Solorio had one or two separate leases. He would not comment further beyond his prepared statement.

It’s unclear how long it will take the FPPC to wrap up its investigation, but it’s possible that it could be resolved before the Nov. 8 election, Wierenga said.

cindy.carcamo@latimes.com