INGLEWOOD , Several ethics complaints filed this week accuse Inglewood Councilmember Gloria Gray of “lack of transparency” and “pay-to-play” violations for accepting large campaign contributions from Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer’s company, Murphy’s Bowl LLC, and developers associated with SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park.
Community members in Inglewood and surrounding communities submitted the complaints under the California Public Records Act and to the California Fair Political Practices Commission, known as the FPPC.
“Local government works only when residents can trust that council votes are cast on their merits through an objective shared governance process,” said local resident Andres Ibarra. “Our city cannot afford the optics of corruption, whether true or not, by elected officials receiving campaign contributions that violate the FPPC code of ethics from powerful interests with business before the council.”
Under Section 84308 of the California Political Reform Act, the complaints ask FPPC officials to determine whether the law was upheld. According to one of the complaints, the City Council approved two agreements involving Murphy’s Bowl LLC related to the Intuit Dome development on May 9, 2023.
Roughly three weeks later, Murphy’s Bowl LLC contributed $2,500 to Councilmember Gray’s campaign committee, according to public reports filed by Gray , an amount the complaint states exceeded the limits Section 84308 sets for parties involved in government contract proceedings.
The filings with the California Public Records Act seek documentation on costs and expenses that relate to the council member’s activities as a board member of the West Basin Municipal Water District.
The complaints do not presume guilt. Instead, they seek an independent, fact-based review by the state agency charged with enforcing California’s political ethics laws.
Elected officials hold the public’s trust, and transparency about who funds their campaigns and how those funds relate to their votes represents the minimum standard of accountability in local government, according to the complaints.
Those who filed the complaints expressed hope that the council member will cooperate fully with any FPPC review. They said openness in the process demonstrates that Inglewood’s elected representatives are held accountable to residents and that powerful interests should never be allowed to buy influence.