Evan Low faces fines for Alec Baldwin appearance

This story was first printed in the Saturday (March 29) edition of the Daily Post. To get all of the local news, including stories that aren’t posted online, pick up the Post in the mornings at 1,000 Mid-Peninsula locations.

BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT
Daily Post Staff Writer

A state watchdog agency has ordered former Assemblyman Evan Low to pay a $106,000 fine for concealing his campaign donations and expenses, including a paid event appearance by actor Alec Baldwin that Low said was voluntary.

The Fair Political Practices Commission found that Low’s foundation wired $110,000 to Baldwin’s agency for an appearance at Low’s Lunar New Year campaign fundraising event on Feb. 7, 2020. 

Low’s employee, Danielle Sires, allegedly asked Baldwin’s agency to sign a separate contract that said his appearance was voluntary.

“But it’s not voluntary. If he doesn’t do it, he would still be paid his full fee,” the Creative Artists Agency said in a reply to Sires on Nov. 21, 2019, according to the FPPC.

Sires wanted it to look like Baldwin was paid only for a tech summit the day before, and not the campaign event, the FPPC said.

But Low’s foundation wired Baldwin’s agency $110,000 on Dec. 20, 2019, and another $110,000 on Jan. 28, 2020, the FPPC said.

Low also reimbursed Baldwin for his travel and hotel to the Lunar New Year event, the FPPC said.

After the event, Low thanked Baldwin on social media “for volunteering his time.” A Trump impersonator was also at the event “to provide some comedic relief,” Low said.

Low told FPPC investigators in April 2023 that he believed Baldwin appeared on his own accord and he wasn’t involved in booking the appearance.

However, the FPPC said the evidence shows Baldwin was paid to appear, and Low and his agents were involved in the negotiations of the contract. 

“These violations appear to be deliberate,” FPPC Assistant Chief of Enforcement Angela Brereton said in a decision.

The FPPC will consider approving the penalty on April 10.

Low couldn’t be reached for comment yesterday through his attorney and his new job as CEO of LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, which helps candidates get elected to office.

From 2018 to 2020, Low was also late to report 16 donations of over $5,000 from Indian tribes and companies such as Apple, Facebook, LinkedIn, AT&T and Gilead Sciences, Brereton said.

The reports were filed between five and 528 days late, totaling $227,500 in donations, Brereton said.

Low told investigators the payments were late because of the pandemic, as everyone was working remotely.

Low also failed to maintain campaign records and to end his committee when he finished running, Brereton said.

Timely reporting of donations allows the public to see which donors may seek to gain favor with elected officials, Brereton said.

“The public harm inherent in campaign reporting violations is that the public is deprived of important, time-sensitive information regarding campaign activity,” Brereton said, noting that violations happened prior to the March 2020 primary election.

Low is experienced with the Political Reform Act because he’s been an elected official since 2006, when he was elected to Campbell City Council, Brereton said in her order.

Low was first elected to the Assembly in 2014 and ran successfully every two years until 2024, when he ran for Congresswoman Anna Eshoo’s seat instead.

Low tied for second with former Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian in the initial results for the Congressional primary. 

A recount broke the tie, allowing Low to move on to the general election against former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo.

Liccardo was elected over Low with 58% of the vote in November.

The LGBTQ+ Victory Fund hired Low as CEO on March 4.

Low is facing 23 violations. Three of the violations have a $2,000 penalty, and 20 violations have a $5,000 penalty for a total fine of $106,000.