At least 11 campaign donors to county Supervisor Janet Nguyen are being investigated for possible campaign money laundering, although state investigators were told by a judge Friday to provide more evidence to support the subpoenas of those donors.

Nguyen, a Republican, is running for state Senate in one of the tightest and most contentious races in California. A consultant for her campaign and a lawyer for the 11 donors both dismissed the investigation as a political ploy to help her opponent, Democratic former Assemblyman Jose Solorio, in the Nov. 4 election.

The case is being investigated by the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission and involves donors to Nguyen’s 2012 race for supervisor. The agency is looking into allegations that contributions were funneled through multiple donors to sidestep the $1,800 contribution limit in place at the time.

Friday’s Superior Court hearing was to consider the donors’ motion to quash subpoenas for emails, text messages, phone and bank records related to the campaign. Instead, Judge David Hoffer told the FPPC to produce more proof of illegal activity, according to James Crawford, attorney for the 11 donors.

“They have shown nothing indicating any wrongdoing by anybody,” James said. “There’s no truth to what they say.”

James noted Gov. Jerry Brown’s support for Solorio – Brown appears in a campaign ad for the fellow Democrat – and alleged that the FPPC was conducting partisan-motivated campaign stunt to help him.

George Urch, a consultant for Solorio, countered that the FPPC has no record of partisanship. FPPC spokesman Jay Wierenga said he could not comment on an ongoing investigation.

Among those subpoenaed is Tony Lam, who in 1992 became the first Vietnamese American in the country to be elected to public office. He left office in 2002, choosing not to seek re-election.

In a 2007 FPPC case, Nguyen agreed to pay $5,000 in fines for campaign finance violations that occurred when she accepted $12,500 in contributions for a legal defense fund. That fund was to pay her lawyer for the recount of ballots in a special election, which she won by three votes.

Though legal defense funds are permissible for state candidates, they are not allowed for county candidates. Nguyen said she accepted the funds on the advice of her lawyer. The FPPC found that “the investigation did not produce sufficient evidence to support a finding that the violations were deliberate.”

The next court date for the donors is Dec. 5, when Hoffer will consider whether there is sufficient cause to quash the subpoenas.

Contact the writer: mwisckol@ocregister.com