Pleasanton Mayor Feels ‘Vindicated’ Following FPPC Investigation

PLEASANTON, CA — Pleasanton Mayor Jerry Thorne said he feels "vindicated" following a Fair Political Practices Commission investigation into his failure to report his 2016 Costco stock sale and conflict of interest allegations. Thorne said he admitted to not filing the form and has paid a $100 fine for a paperwork infraction discovered by the agency during the investigation, which was prompted following a 2016 complaint filed by former City Councilman Matt Sullivan.

FPPC officials said the commission must first approve the agreement when they meet on Feb. 15. The fine will then be turned over to the State General Fund.

"I think the two most important findings were that the FPPC found no evidence of a conflict of interest resulting from this interest (Costco) and found no evidence of intent to conceal," Thorne told Patch Wednesday. "I received a minor fine for failing to fill out an FPPC form when the stock was sold. I have admitted to not filling out the form and have already paid the fine. In the final analysis, I feel vindicated because the complaint was for a conflict of interest and an attempt to conceal it from the public and both of these allegations were found to have no foundation and were completely false."

Thorne owned 24 shares of Costco Wholesale Corporation stock and the complaint was tied to the Johnson Drive Economic Development Zone meetings, documents show.

According to the City of Pleasanton, the Economic Development Zone was designed to spur investment in a 40-acre area along Johnson Drive between Stoneridge Drive and I-680 and will likely include a new Costco store.

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