Suitt

This is a consolidated appeal from a portion of the judgment entered in Friends of Tom Suitt v. The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), Sacramento Superior Court action No. 270251 (hereinafter called Suitt v. FPPC), and from the judgment entered in Fair Political Practices Commission v. Suitt et al., Sacramento Superior Court action No. 270419 (hereinafter called FPPC v. Suitt).

The issue in both cases is whether the Assembly Democratic Caucus of the state Legislature (Caucus) is a “person” within the meaning of the Political Reform Act, Government Code section 81000 et seq.

The legal dispute arises out of the activities of Michael O’Key, an employee of the State of California and more specifically of the Caucus, an association of the Democratic members of the California Assembly. The Caucus is authorized by statute and by Assembly resolution to hire and direct employees, whose salaries are paid.by the state.

The FPPC v. Suitt complaint alleges that in May and June of 1976, O’Key was relieved of some of his normal working responsibilities to enable him to perform campaign work for the Suitt Committee (Committee), a political committee working for the reelection…