State panel scolds judge on ethics lapse

The state’s Commission on Judicial Performance on Tuesday publicly admonished Alameda County Superior Court Judge Tara Flanagan for campaign finance violations that occurred during during her successful judgeship bid in 2012.

The commission, which serves as the disciplinary watchdog group for the state’s judicial branch, found that Flanagan’s missteps in disclosing the true source of two campaign loans totaling $25,000 violated judicial ethics rules.

Flanagan received the loans from her campaign treasurer and longtime personal friend, Carol Pranka. A 2015 investigation into the violations by the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission found that the loans were for political purposes, but made payable to Flanagan personally, not to her campaign.

Later, in a pre-election filing, Flanagan reported that she loaned that money to the campaign herself and made no mention of Pranka, whose $25,000 contribution qualified her as a “major donor” under state election law.

Flanagan and Pranka were fined a combined $6,000 by the state commission for the violations, though the agency found their actions to be unintentional.

Pranka declined to comment on the matter Tuesday.

Flanagan, who oversees criminal matters, said in a statement sent through her attorney that “I deeply regret the mistakes I made in 2012 when I was a first-time judicial candidate and did not understand how to properly report a personal loan that I used for campaign expenditures.”

After the error was discovered, Flanagan said she “fully cooperated” with both the Fair Political Practices Commission and the Commission on Judicial Performance.

“I amended the campaign reports and reported the mistakes to the CJP. I appreciate the full consideration the CJP gave to this matter,” Flanagan said.

In a statement Tuesday, the Commission on Judicial Performance said it took into account that Flanagan’s violations were unintentional, but “determined that, particularly as an attorney, she should have familiarized herself with the applicable reporting requirements before submitting an official statement and that ignorance of the law is an aggravating factor for a judicial candidate.”