Just when you thought California politics couldn’t get more dramatic, former Assemblymember Evan Low is caught in a scandal that’s juicier than your favorite Netflix political thriller.

In a twist that would make even Hollywood scriptwriters blush, Low’s nonprofit just got busted for secretly paying actor Alec Baldwin a whopping $227,000 for a Lunar New Year event - and then claiming he was just a “volunteer”. Talk about creative accounting!

The Pay-to-Play Playbook

The California Fair Political Practices Commission wasn’t having any of Low’s financial gymnastics. They slapped him with an eye-watering $106,000 fine for 18 separate campaign finance violations. Turns out, Low’s “Foundation for California’s Technology and Innovation Economy” was playing fast and loose with transparency.

Celebrity Connections and Cover-Ups

Remember when Alec Baldwin was more known for his Trump impressions than on-set controversies? In February 2020, he showed up at Low’s event, allegedly as a “volunteer” - except documents prove he was actually pocketing a cool $227,000. The now-deleted Facebook invite promised “big surprises” and a “presidential-esque” event. Spoiler alert: the only surprise was the massive payment.

The Political Aftermath

Currently the president of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund, Low’s political future hangs in the balance. Will this scandal derail his ambitions? Only time will tell. But one thing’s certain: in Bay Area politics, the plot twists are always more dramatic than you’d expect.

Stay fabulous, political drama queens!