ITTC: FPPC Chair Adam Silver on money, ethics and California elections

In this episode of In the Counsel's Chair, host Jack Needham sits down with Adam Silver, chair of the Fair Political Practices Commission, California's campaign finance and ethics watchdog. Appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2024, Silver traces the agency's roots to Proposition 9, the post-Watergate ballot measure that created the FPPC and some of the strictest campaign finance and ethics rules in the country -- rules his office is now charged with enforcing in the age of AI. The conversation ranges from AB 2355, the surviving bill from a package of three targeting deepfakes and AI-generated campaign ads, to how the commission is exploring technology to flag potential campaign money laundering and warn public officials of conflicts before they happen. Along the way, Silver explains why the agency's priority is transparency before an election rather than penalties after it, and why the appearance of impropriety can damage public trust as much as the real thing. Highlights: • The FPPC's post-Watergate origins and its role as the state's campaign finance and ethics watchdog • AB 2355 and enforcing disclaimer rules for AI-generated or AI-modified campaign ads • Using AI to flag patterns of possible campaign money laundering • A tool to warn officials of potential conflicts between their financial disclosures and upcoming agenda items • Why transparency before the election takes priority • The legislation Silver's office sponsored to ban campaign contributions inside state buildings