Mayor Sanchez cleared of conflict of interest allegations

Desert Hot Springs Mayor Adam Sanchez has been cleared of any wrongdoing regarding a conflict of interest complaint about his employment with ANCLEE Development, the parent company of the first approved medical marijuana dispensary in the city.

Mayor Sanchez was facing allegations after an annual financial disclosure form revealed he was working for the Sun Grow medical marijuana dispensary; a facility he voted to allow to do business in Desert Hot Springs.

The concern was brought to light by a concerned resident.

The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) investigated the claim and determined Sanchez did nothing wrong.

The FPPC sent a letter out on June 16 describing the findings

According to the FPPC, after reviewing documents from the mayor, it doesn’t appear that Sun Grow was a source of income for Sanchez when he voted for the business to open in the city. And because he had no economic interest that could be affected by the decision, the FPPC has closed the case.

The first 700 form Sanchez filed revealed he worked for ANCLEE Development in 2014 and received a salary as the manager of marketing.

Desert Hot Springs City Attorney Steven Quintanilla said that Mayor Sanchez told him he started employment with them in March.

“I then asked him why he reported that on his 700 form, and he said he had thought he had to report it, so I took a look at the 700 form and I realized the reporting period was for the last calendar year not for this calendar,” said Quintanilla.

Sanchez did file an amendment. News Channel 3 and CBS Local obtained a copy; it no longer lists ANCLEE as his employer for 2014 but rather The Valley Partnership.

“It was a clerical error on his part,” said Quintanilla.