Finding Names in Cal-Access data
There is a lot of background that could be given on the data available from the California Secretary of State in the Cal-Access database. There is a searchable front-end at the SoS web site, but that can miss data which is added to the system in a bad way.
Other groups have done “hackathons” on this data. One does find interesting things. If one does a simple import into mysql, one loses a lot of data but there are still millions of rows of data there. If you are doing hand-wavy analyses or summaries, that may be good, but I am trying to do something else.
From a 20,000 feet high view of the situation, the problem is that the SoS is required to store and display campaign finance data entered by various entities. And the FPPC (the Fair Political Practices Commission) is mandated to prosecute violations of campaign finance law. But there is nobody who is mandated to ensure that the data is “correct” and makes sense. The SoS could dis-allow filings with bad information but it does not, and if a problem is not actually prosecutable, there is no reason for the filer to fix it. And the SoS is required to display what the filer filed, so they cannot fix the data.
But we can. I can download the data and fix things, as long as I do not say that I am the California Secretary of State. So, for example, if a candidate says his campaign office is in “Los Angeles, XA”, the SoS needs to leave that data in there, whereas I can change it to “Los Angeles, CA”.
One of the most non-standard things in the database are names. Names can be entered in any form. A candidate can put his name in a “Bob Smith”, “Robert Smith”, “RL Smith”, “Bobby Smith”, or “BB Smith” all on the same form or on different forms. There do not actually seem to be any rules about how names should be entered into the system.
I have smoothed out the names, somewhat, but you can see in the list below, there are still lots of things that disconnect names. And there are 1,939,499 names in the system as of June 15, 2020. These are names in different contexts. They may be candidates, office holders, recipients (ie a campaign pays a caterer for food, the caterer is a recipient), a payer, a treasurer, or one of many other things.
So, the question is, how can these names be disambiguated so that we can link together all of the activity for an actual person? Example names are below. Any ideas or suggestions?
cheers - ray
Note that many of these entries are not entered by the entity or person named. And I am sure this contributes to the problem.
Here is, perhaps, one company:
vanir vanir construction vanir construction management vanir construction management inc vanir construction management inc and vanir group of companies inc vanir construction management inc; vanir development company vanir construction management inc; vanir development company inc vanir construction management inc; vanir development company inc; dorene dominguez vanir construction management inc; vanir development company inc; dorene dominguez; dominguez plaza llc vanir construction management inc; vanir development company inc; vanir group of companies; dorene dominguez vanir construction management inc; vanir development company; foothill village oaks inc vanir construction management llc vanir construction managment inc vanir construction mgmt inc vanir construction mgt inc vanir consturction management inc vanir contruction management inc vanir development co inc vanir development company vanir development company inc vanir energy llc vanir foundation vanir group vanir group of companies vanir group of companies inc vanir tower company
Here is a politically active couple. There seems to be confusion about whether the names are “Stuart” or “Stewart” or “Lynda” or “Linda”:
linda bresnick linda resnick ms lynda r resnick lynda rae resnick lynda resnick lynda resnick ms resnick family foundation inc resnick for peralta community college board of trustees area 6 2016 resnick lynda rae resnick stewart resnick stewart a & lynda rae; and paramount farming company llc resnick stewart a and affiliated entities roll international corporation stewart and lynda resnick paramount farming company paramount citrus association paramount steward & linda resnick steward a resnick stewart a resnick stewart a resnick & affiliated entities stewart a resnick & affiliated entities (paramount farming company) stewart a resnick & paramount farming company llc stewart a resnick and affiliated entities stewart a resnick and paramount farming company llc stewart a resnick del rey juice company llc paramount citrus association and paramount farming company llc stewart a resnick del rey juice company llc paramount citrus association paramount farming company llc paramount farms inc and roll international corporation stewart a resnick lynda rae resnick paramount farming company llc and paramount citrus association stewart a resnick paramount citrus association & paramount farming company llc stewart a resnick paramount citrus association and paramount farming company llc stewart a resnick paramount citrus association paramount farming company llc stewart a resnick paramount farming company llc and del rey juice company llc stewart a resnick paramount farming company llc and franklin mint company stewart a resnick roll international corporation paramount farming company llc and teleflora llc stewart a resnick roll international corporation paramount farming company llc teleflora llc and paramount citrus association stewart resnick stewart resnick f stewart resnick/paramount farming company llc/del rey juice company llc/roll international corporation stuart a resnick stuart resnick
Are all of these getting linked together in the SoS web site anywhere? I cannot see how they could be.
california strategies & advocacy llc on behalf of its client los angeles turf club incorporated and its affiliated entity pacific racing assocation california strategies & advocacy llc on behalf of los angeles turf club & its affiliated entity pacific racing association california strategies & advocacy llc on behalf of los angeles turf club inc et al carter wetch & associates on behalf of los angeles turf club & its affiliated entity pacific racing association los angeles turf club los angeles turf club - santa anita los angeles turf club - santa anita park los angeles turf club (bay meadows operating co) los angeles turf club & affiliated entities bay meadows llc & pacific racing assoc los angeles turf club & affiliated entities bay meadows operating company & pacific racing assoc los angeles turf club & affiliated entity pacific racing association los angeles turf club & affiliates - bay meadows llc pacific racing assoc los angeles turf club & its affiliate pacific racing association los angeles turf club & its affiliated entities los angeles turf club & its affiliated entity pacifc racing association los angeles turf club & its affiliated entity pacific racing association los angeles turf club & its affiliates bay meadows llc & pacific racing assoc los angeles turf club and affiliated entity pacific racing assn los angeles turf club and aggregated contributions los angeles turf club and its affiliate pacific racing association los angeles turf club and its affiliated entity pacific racing association los angeles turf club at santa anita los angeles turf club etal los angeles turf club inc los angeles turf club inc - santa anita park los angeles turf club inc (magna entertainment corp and its affiliated entities) los angeles turf club inc & affiliated entities los angeles turf club inc & affiliated entities bay meadows operating co llc & pacific racing association los angeles turf club inc & affiliated entity pacific racing assn los angeles turf club inc & its aff pacific racing assoc los angeles turf club inc & its affilated entity pacific racing association los angeles turf club inc & its affiliated entities los angeles turf club inc & its affiliated entities bay mdws op collc & pacific racing assoc los angeles turf club inc & its affiliated entities bay meadows operating co llc los angeles turf club inc & its affiliated entities bay meadows operating company llc & pacific racing association los angeles turf club inc & its affiliated entitiesbay meadows op co llc & pacific racing asn los angeles turf club inc & its affiliated entity pacific racing assn los angeles turf club inc & its affiliated entity pacific racing association los angeles turf club inc affiliated entity pacific racing assoc los angeles turf club inc affiliated pacific racing assn los angeles turf club inc an affiliated entity of magna entertainment inc los angeles turf club inc and affiliated entities los angeles turf club inc and its los angeles turf club inc and its affiliated entities los angeles turf club inc and its affiliated entities bay meadows operating co llc and pacific racing association los angeles turf club inc and its affiliated entities bay meadows operating company llc and pacific racing association los angeles turf club inc and its affiliated entities bay meadows operating company lll and pacific racing assoc los angeles turf club inc and its affiliated entity pacific racing assn los angeles turf club inc and its affiliated entity pacific racing assoc los angeles turf club inc and its affiliated entity pacific racing association los angeles turf club inc and its affiliated entity pacific racing association/santa anita park los angeles turf club inc and its affilitated entities los angeles turf club inc et al los angeles turf club inc santa anita park los angeles turf club inc/ bay meadows operating co llc/pacific racing assoc los angeles turf club inc/santa anita los angeles turf club inc/santa anita park los angeles turf club incorporated los angeles turf club incorporated & its affiliated entities bay meadows operating company lll and pacific racing assn los angeles turf club incorporated and its affil entities los angeles turf club incorporated and its affil entities pacific racing assoc los angeles turf club incorporated and its affiliated los angeles turf club incorporated and its affiliated entites bay meadows operating company llc and pacific racing assoc los angeles turf club incorporated and its affiliated entites bay meadows operating company llc and pacific racing associa los angeles turf club incorporated and its affiliated entities bay meadows operating company llc and pacific racing associa los angeles turf club incorporated and its affiliated entities bay meadows operating company llc and pacific racing association los angeles turf club incorporated and its affiliated entities bay meadows operating company lll and pacific racing assoc los angeles turf club incorporated and its affiliated entity golden gate fields pacific racing association los angeles turf club incorporated and its affiliated entity pacific racing association los angeles turf club incorporated and its affiliated entity pacific racing association inc los angeles turf club incorporated and its affliated entities bay meadows operating company llc and pacific racing associa los angeles turf club incorporated including its parent magna entertainment corp los angeles turf club incorporated santa anita park los angeles turf club incorpotated los angeles turf club llc and its affiliated entities bay meadows operating company llc and pacific racing los angeles turf club mec california los angeles turf club santa anita park los angeles turf club-santa anita los angeles turf club/pacific racing assoc magna entertainment corp & its affiliated entities los angeles turf club inc magna entertainment corp and its affiliated entities (entities: bay meadows operating company llc los angeles turf club inc pacific racing association) magna entertainment corp and its affiliated entities formerly los angeles turf club at santa anita (entities: bay meadows magna entertainment corp and its affiliated entities formerly los angeles turf club at santa anita (entities: bay meadows operating company llc los angeles turf club inc & pacific racing assn) magna entertainment corp and its affiliated entities formerly los angeles turf club at santa anita (entities: bay meadows operating company llc los angeles turf club inc pacific racing assn) magna entertainment corp/los angeles turf club inc mec california los angeles turf club mec california los angeles turf club and its affiliated entities mec california los angeles turf club and its affiliated entitypacific racing pacific racing asn and its affiliated entity los angeles turf club inc pacific racing assn & its affiliated entity los angeles turf club inc pacific racing assoc & affiliated entity los angeles turf club pacific racing assoc and its affiliated entity los angeles turf club inc pacific racing association & its affiliated entity los angeles turf club inc pacific racing association and affiliated entity los angeles turf club inc pacific racing association and its affiliated entity los angeles turf club inc pacific racing association and its affiliated entity los angeles turf club incorporated santa anita los angeles turf club inc santa anita los angeles turf club incorporated santa anita park - los angeles turf club/san luis rey downs santa anita park / los angeles turf club / san luis rey downs santa anita park los angeles turf club santa anita park los angeles turf club inc santa anita park los angeles turf club san luis rey downs santa anita park/los angeles turf club inc santa anita park/mec california los angeles turf club inc santa anita-los angeles turf club inc santa anita/los angeles turf club
And here is a company we all know:
company pacific gas and electric p g & e corporation - pacific gas & electric pacific gas & electric pacific gas & electric - pg&e pacific gas & electric (pg & e) corporation pacific gas & electric (pg&e) pacific gas & electric (pg&e) corporation pacific gas & electric (pge) pacific gas & electric co pacific gas & electric co (pg & e) pacific gas & electric co law department pacific gas & electric co pac pacific gas & electric co state & local pac pacific gas & electric company pacific gas & electric company (pg & e) pacific gas & electric company (pg&e) pacific gas & electric company (pg&e) - north west california pacific gas & electric company and affiliated entities pacific gas & electric company and its affiliated entities pacific gas & electric company and its affiliates of entities pacific gas & electric company deleted 05/10/05 pacific gas & electric company id# 478163 pacific gas & electric company pg&e pacific gas & electric company state & local pac pacific gas & electric company state pac pacific gas & electric company state/local pac pacific gas & electric company state/local political action committee pacific gas & electric corp pacific gas & electric corporation pacific gas & electric corporation (pg&e) pacific gas & electric corporation (pg&e) - ie account pacific gas & electric corporation and affliliated entities pacific gas & electric corporation major donor pacific gas & electric corporation/pg & e pacific gas & electric employees state/local pac pacific gas & electric legal department pacific gas & electric state & local pac pacific gas & electricity company pacific gas & eletric company pacific gas & eletric company pac pacific gas and electric pacific gas and electric - housing pacific gas and electric (pg&e) corp pacific gas and electric co pacific gas and electric co (pg&e) pacific gas and electric co state/local pac pacific gas and electric company pacific gas and electric company (pg&e corp) pacific gas and electric company (pg&e) pacific gas and electric company and affiliated entities pacific gas and electric company and its affiliated entities pacific gas and electric company and its affiliates of entities pacific gas and electric company and its affliated entities pacific gas and electric company conference room 307 pacific gas and electric company conference room a pacific gas and electric company pac pacific gas and electric company pg&e corp pacific gas and electric company pg&e corporation pacific gas and electric company state & local pac pacific gas and electric company state/local pac pacific gas and electric corp pacific gas and electric corporation pacific gas and electric corporation (pg&e corp) pacific gas and electric state/local pac pacific gas and electric/local pac pacific gas electric company pg&e corp pacific gass & electric company