Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, CA — The state campaign watchdog ruled Tuesday that candidates don’t have to report electronic, installment-plan contributions until they have the money in hand.

The Fair Political Practices Commission voted 5-0 to clarify its rules dealing with campaign contributions that are made electronically and in installments.

The regulation amendments, which take effect in about 60 days, cover situations in which a contributor gives a campaign his or her credit card number but directs the candidate to charge the card in installments rather than in one lump sum.

A commission spokesman, Jon Matthews, said the amendments “codified existing commission advice (to candidates) regarding electronic contributions.”

“Other types of contributions are reported when funds are in control of the campaign,” Matthews said. “The ambiguity in rules regarding electronic installment payments had created some confusion.”

But Doug Heller, executive director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said the decision would allow major contributors to look like “mom and pop political donors” because reporting of their contributions would be spread out.

“They’ve been given new ways to contribute in the dark,” he said. If “sunshine is the best antiseptic, this is a total eclipse. You can be sure that politicians are going to use this as another way to hide from voters their true identity.”

He said the FPPC should require candidates to report contribution pledges along with actual donations.

The commission’s staff suggested Tuesday that commissioners may want to take that step.

“It’s a big area to look at,” Matthews said. “It would require extensive analysis of potential issues, including preventing candidates from creating the appearance of a massive war chest based solely on pledges that are never followed through on.”