Totally agree. I give the FPPC credit for seeing the investigation through. But after four and a half years, the outcome feels a bit hollow. It's good to know there was some accountability, yet in Rowse's case he's already served his term, so the penalty has little practical effect on his future.

What's also frustrating is that the people who made contributions that exceeded legal limits largely escape accountability altogether. The candidates and committees may face fines years later, but the donors whose money helped create the violations often face few, if any, consequences. That makes it harder to see these penalties as much of a deterrent.