News Release: Special Report on Assembly District 15

Newly-obtained documents raise questions regarding Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan’s acceptance of Assembly
per diem while campaigning for Congress.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 21, 2010

Contact: James Fisfis @ 916-213-8179

Sacramento - On July 11, 2009, Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan tweeted: “I am continuing my small business tour
through Congressional District 10 tomorrow, stopping at the Alteration Boutique and Savvy Seconds in Livermore.”

Yet according to state records, Joan Buchanan accepted State Assembly per diem for that day.

Again, on July 4, 2009, Joan Buchanan spent the holiday campaigning for Congress – and accepted State Assembly
per diem. Her Facebook page said: “[Buchanan] spent her day attending pancake breakfasts and parades from one
end of the [Congressional] district to the other stopping by Fairfield's pancake breakfast, Orinda's pancake
breakfast and 4th of July Parade, Livermore's Old Fashioned Independence Day, and Antioch's Parade.

In sum, State Controller records obtained under the Legislative Open Records Act appear to show that
Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan collected Assembly per diem while participating in several campaign events for a
Congressional seat she sought unsuccessfully just months after first elected to the Assembly.

“These documents at minimum raise the question of whether or not Joan Buchanan campaigned for Congress
while accepting taxpayer per diem meant to cover Assembly travel expenses,” said James Fisfis, President of
Chariot LLC. “If there is an explanation for this, it would be important to hear it from Joan Buchanan herself.”

Background

According to documents released to Chariot LLC by the California State Controller and the Assembly Rules
Committee, Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan accepted state Assembly per diem every single day for the entire
period from June 28 through July 18, 2009.

Source: CA State Controller

Yet Joan Buchanan’s Congressional campaign feed – including photos and videos archived at the links below –
show her raising campaign money, conducting her “Buchanan Means Business” Congressional campaign tour and
“spending her day” holding Congressional campaign events.

DATE Joan Buchanan’s Congressional campaign activities. Still available on Twitter and Facebook.
Links below.
June 27 Walk a Precinct With Us This Weekend!: Join us this weekend as we walk precincts in CD-10 and
engage with voters..http://bit.ly/8sCB71:31 PM Jun 26th, 2009
June 28 Walk a Precinct With Us This Weekend!: Join us this weekend as we walk precincts in CD-10 and
accepted per engage with voters..http://bit.ly/8sCB71:31 PM Jun 26th, 2009
diem
June 29-30 Raised $6800 from 13 donors in last minute filing deadline rush. Also voted in Assembly. Source:
accepted per FEC records
diem
July 4 accepted http://twitpic.com/9jglu - I waved to crowds of supporters in Orinda and Antioch this 4th of July.4:18
per diem PM Jul 6th, 2009 via TwitPic
July 10 accepted Buchanan Means Business! Joan kicks-off her Small Business Tour in Antioch tomorrow. Joan will
per diem tour small businesses district-wide in July!Thu Jul 09 2009 19:29:10 (Pacific Daylight Time)
Buchanan kicks off small business tour today in Antioch!http://bit.ly/iQZBGFri Jul 10 2009 12:14:30
(Pacific Daylight Time)
Today went great, I really enjoyed talking to Doug from D&K Automotive & Dave from Lighthouse
Design about their concerns in this economy.Fri Jul 10 2009 20:03:30 (Pacific Daylight Time)
Buchanan to tour Antioch small businesses today
By Hilary Costa, East County Times
Posted: 07/10/2009 10:44:15 AM PDT
Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan, D-Alamo, is touring small businesses to promote job growth in
Antioch and Livermore as part of her campaign for the 10th congressional district. Buchanan will
meet with small business owners to discuss job growth, reducing red tape and the challenges they are
facing in the current economy. Buchanan will be at Light House Design, 5091 Lone Tree Way in
Antioch, from 2:15 to 2:45 p.m. today. She will be at Antioch D&K Automotive Repairs, 712 E. 18th
St. in Antioch, from 3 to 3:30 p.m. She will also make stops at small businesses in Livermore on
Sunday. Buchanan will be at Alteration Boutique, 233 Junction Ave., Ste. C, in Livermore, from 3 to
3:30 p.m. Sunday. She will be at Savvy Seconds, 2080 First St. in Livermore, from 3:45 to 4:15 p.m.
that day.
July 11 accepted I am continuing my small business tour through CD10 tomorrow, stopping at the Alteration Boutique
per diem and Savvy Seconds in Livermore.Sat Jul 11 2009 17:44:02 (Pacific Daylight Time)
July 12 accepted I am continuing my small business tour through CD10 tomorrow, stopping at the Alteration Boutique
per diem and Savvy Seconds in Livermore.Sat Jul 11 2009 17:44:02 (Pacific Daylight Time)
I had a great time visiting the Alteration Boutique, Savvy Seconds and Baugman's in Livermore
yesterday! Stay tuned for future tour stops.Mon Jul 13 2009 12:56:50 (Pacific Daylight Time)
July 18 accepted Volunteer with me this weekend to knock on doors or call voters!http://bit.ly/ydEysWed Jul 15 2009
per diem 18:51:21 (Pacific Daylight Time)
July 18 accepted Meanwhile, Asssemblywoman Joan Buchanan will continue her small business tour Saturday with a
per diem stop at Green Wheelin’ Scooters in Walnut Creek. She says she’s visiting small businesses to raise
awareness of the role they play in creating jobs and building local economies, and to highlight that the
economic stimulus package has not done enough to support them; last weekend, she made stops in
Antioch and Livermore to visit with owners of businesses including an auto repair shop, an alterations
boutique and an urban design firm. July 16, 2010
http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2009/07/16/cd10-tauschers-endorsement-questioned/
I'm getting ready for the 5th stop on my small business tour through CD10, join me at Green Wheelin'
Scooters in Walnut Creek today at 11:15Sat Jul 18 2009 10:18:00 (Pacific Daylight Time)
I had an excellent time at Green Wheelin' Scooters, I even tried out a Segway. Now, I'm off to the
Chili Cook-Off Fundraiser in Oakley!Sat Jul 18 2009 13:42:16 (Pacific Daylight Time)
Joan Buchanan’s Congressional campaign’s Facebook/Twitter photos of mentioned campaign events with
hyperlinks. Some links may have been removed or disabled as a result of this report.

COLLECTING PER DIEM

COLLECTING PER DIEM
Small Business Tour Kick-off in Antioch and
Livermore
Doug and I at D&K Auto in Antioch. Doug expanded
his business and moved to his new location a few
months ago.
Joan's Small Business Tour Stops in Pleasant Hill!
Joan leads by example. Here, she took the
opportunity to do some grocery shopping while at the
local market. In the State Assembly, she cut her own
pay by 10% in 2008.

COLLECTING PER DIEM COLLECTING PER DIEM

Joan launches her Campaign for Congress!

Small Business Tour Kick-off in Antioch and
Livermore
On Sunday, I met with Lynn and Belinda who own
the Alteration Boutique, a professional seamstress
shop in Livermore. Lynn and I talked about how a
Congressmember who supports small businesses
would be able to help business owners like her gain
access to the resources and funds needed to take their
businesses to the next level.
 your money and sales tax dollars local. Joan promises
to do all she can when she goes to Congress by
making sure our stimulus dollars help Main Street
and not just Wall Street.

El Cerrito Democrats Meeting

COLLECTING PER DIEM

COLLECTING PER DIEM

COLLECTING PER DIEM Let's get Joan to Congress, so she can put these skills
to work for you

“Joan celebrated the 4th of July with the community

in the 10th District at the Fairfield Pancake Breakfast,
Orinda Pancake Breakfast and Parade, Livermore's
Old Fashioned Independence Day and the Antioch
Parade.”

COLLECTING PER DIEM

We need to do more to support our local small

businesses. You can do so by visiting them to keep
 Video from July 4th

COLLECTING PER DIEM

Here is Joan on the 4th of July. She spent her day attending pancake breakfasts and parades from one end of the district to the other
stopping by Fairfield's pancake breakfast, Orinda's pancake breakfast and 4th of July Parade, Livermore's Old Fashioned
Independence Day, and Antioch's Parade.

Chariot LLC occasionally releases reports related to use of taxpayer dollars by officeholders and candidates. The
research contained herein uses original source materials and was funded by Abram Wilson’s campaign for Wilson for
Assembly.

###