Heath Flora, the top Republican in the California Assembly, is facing two state ethics investigations and could be on the brink of a leadership fight after he infuriated his party by siding with Democrats to allow tax hikes across the state, The Post has learned.
Several Capitol insiders told The Post that Flora is facing blowback after he and fellow Republican Assemblymember Juan Alanis voted for Senate Bill 762 last month, which will allow 13 cities and counties to ask voters to exceed California’s longstanding 2% local sales tax cap.
“We’re disappointed by our state assemblyman and hearing from constituents,” Stanislaus County Republican Party Chairman Joel Campos told The Post, referring to Flora.
Flora received just 30.6% of the vote in the June primary election in Stanislaus County — the lowest level of support for any incumbent state legislator and all of the Republican parties within his district declined to endorse him.
“Just seeing his expense reports, from golf courses throughout the entire state to Las Vegas Raiders trips to all the bars that he expenses, we don’t think this is appropriate behavior for the minority leader,” Campos said.
Meanwhile, since the controversial vote, The Post has learned Flora is facing two state ethics probes by the Fair Political Practices Commission: one from October 2025 over behested payments, which are donations in which a government official acts as an intermediary; and a second investigation looking into a potential misuse of campaign funds.
State records show Flora — who did not respond to requests for comment — has been on a tear seeking money from special interests since May 2023, acting as an intermediary on more than $1.15 million in behested payments. Many of these donations came from entities with business before the Legislature.
A complaint was filed in October 2025.
“The problem with that [GOP minority leader] title is he just voted for a tax increase, so that title becomes a liability for us,” said a source within the Republican caucus.
A second Capitol insider said Flora’s vote crossed a “red line” while another source told The Post: “He’s a leader in name only.”
“He doesn’t actually lead,” the source added. “He’s closer to the Democrats than he is a leader to the Republicans.”
The second complaint with the Fair Political Practices Commission alleging a misuse of campaign funds was filed on March 4 against Flora, his 2026 reelection committee and Kelly Lawler, founder of the campaign finance firm The KAL Group.
However, a source told The Post that Lawler stepped down from her role as treasurer in early 2024, and campaign records confirm that Flora has acted as his own treasurer while racking up extravagant campaign expenditures.
Flora’s campaign records show frequent sporting events and golf outings — he has expensed “golf supplies” for charges listed as meetings at courses across the country — but no charge has appeared more frequently over the last year and a half than Chargins’ Bar & Grill.
The dank neighborhood dive bar in East Sac has dead animal skulls and messages in chalk adorning the walls, and saloon doors guarding the men’s room toilet.
Nearly every one of Flora’s expenses at the dive bar since April 2025 — 54 tabs totaling more than $11,500 in charges — was described as a “District Meeting.”
Flora’s position as GOP minority leader was questioned almost immediately after he was appointed last year, when the Sacramento Bee published a bombshell report on his affair with a former lobbyist, Emily Hughes, as well as missing child support payments to his ex-wife.
Flora also was found to not be living in his district, leaving his Central Valley constituents frequently wondering what the former farmer and firefighter is doing with his time — and who was representing their interests in Sacramento.
Hughes, the former lobbyist who had an affair with Flora when he was still married, told The Post that Flora routinely drinks on the job and is known to abuse campaign money.
“Everyone is privy to his excessive drinking,” Hughes told The Post.
“The Legislature is his own high school popularity contest. He is there to drink and be the popular kid in high school that he never was.”
A GOP caucus source confirmed to The Post that Flora has developed a reputation for not only partying but also drinking while doing official state business at the Capitol.
“He always has alcohol on his breath. Not just marathon sessions — even during the day,” the source said.
Flora’s most expensive “meal” at Chargins was a $1,908.86 tab on Sept. 3, 2025, which is impressive considering the menu at the East Sac neighborhood haunt consists of cheap pub grub like fried chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs. The top delicacy on the menu appears to be a $15 seafood gumbo.
Flora also reported having multiple meals at the dive bar on the same night.
On June 16, 2025, Flora’s campaign committee — he is currently seeking a sixth and final term in the Legislature — reported two separate expenses totaling $254.24. Two more charges totaling $608.31 were reported on Sept. 6, 2025, while Sept. 11 of that year featured two additional expenditures for $221.77.
On Nov. 13, 2025, the committee reported three separate “Meal for District Meeting” charges totaling $308.66. Two more charges were reported on April 18, 2026, totaling $279.16.
The Legislature was in session on at least two of these dates.
Steve Mavigilio, a veteran Democratic political strategist, couldn’t help but chuckle when he heard about the startling number of “meetings” Flora has held at Chargins,
“It’s certainly eyebrow raising,” he said, “because those expenses do not appear on their face to be legitimate — for anyone who has ever patronized that establishment.”
Sources at the Capitol said that Flora’s boozing and cozy relationship with lobbyists has become problematic, as the sales tax vote offered cover to Democratic legislators in fierce reelection battles.
“Our whole message this election cycle is going to be based on affordability, and that vote threatens our message,” one source said.
Legislators are currently on break for the July recess, but anger over Flora’s tax vote has not subsided. The source within the Republican caucus said that Flora’s time in leadership could be coming to an end.
“Our take on Heath Flora is that a bunch of the lobbyists like him, so maybe he can raise money from lobbyists [as GOP minority leader],” the source said.
“But when it comes down to serious policy plays, shaping our message and defining our campaign strategy for the fall, Heath Flora is not involved in that.”
Flora has not responded to The Post’s requests for comment on any of these allegations.
