State political watchdog group fines Oakland donor $5,000

Council chairperson Desley Brooks laughs during an Oakland City Council public city committee meeting discussing African-American recruitment and retention in police force, at City Hall in Oakland, CA Friday, October 13, 2015. less Council chairperson Desley Brooks laughs during an Oakland City Council public city committee meeting discussing African-American recruitment and retention in police force, at City Hall in Oakland, CA Friday, ... more Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 4 Caption Close State political watchdog group fines Oakland donor $5,000 1 / 4 Back to Gallery

An Oakland Coliseum commissioner and longtime associate of Oakland Councilwoman Desley Brooks is facing $5,000 in state fines for laundering donations to the councilwoman’s successful 2014 re-election campaign.

Aaron Goodwin, a sports agent who has served for five years on the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Authority, illegally donated $1,400 to the Friends of Desley Brooks committee in December 2013, the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission said Monday. Goodwin circumvented Oakland’s $700 campaign contribution limit by submitting two checks for $700 apiece in the names of his daughters.

Campaign filings show that Aaron Goodwin; his wife, Regina Goodwin; and daughters Alexis and Erin Goodwin each donated $700 to the Friends of Desley Brooks on Dec. 28, 2013.

Goodwin has already agreed to pay the $5,000 penalty — the maximum amount for violating the state’s Political Reform Act, which prohibits people from concealing the true origins of a political donation. The five-member Fair Political Practices Commission is expected to officially agree to the fine at its Aug. 18 meeting.

Brooks and Goodwin have co-hosted annual Thanksgiving charity events and served together on the Coliseum board.

Brooks also cited Goodwin as one of her most prominent endorsements in 2014 candidate questionnaires.

Brooks did not return calls seeking comment, and the state commission declined to comment on the pending order.

Goodwin’s attorney, John Burris, said his client was unaware of the state campaign laws. “He did not intentionally violate the rules,” Burris said. “He has no history of misconduct.”

State officials found no evidence that Brooks or her campaign committee staff knew that Goodwin was the source of the laundered donation.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan