Mayor Kevin Faulconer benefited from a city of San Diego website link that directed viewers to his campaign Facebook account, according to a complaint with the California Fair Political Practices Commission that was reported Monday.
According to the mayor's office, the link was an error that has since been corrected.
The complaint was filed by Sara Kent, a program director at the Coast Environmental Rights Foundation. The Fair Political Practices Commission doesn't release complaints until several days after parties are notified.
State law does not allow election campaigns to use public resources.
One of Faulconer's re-election opponents in the June 7 primary, former Councilman Ed Harris, called on the city's Ethics Commission to begin an investigation.
Harris said Faulconer also sends out emailed newsletters to the public, using city resources, and they include the Facebook links. Because the newsletter links are permanent, Harris demanded that the mayor take the Facebook page down.
Faulconer's Communications Director, Matt Awbrey, said the mayor's office reported the issue to the Ethics Commission and asked for an expeditious review.
"We believe the facts will bear out that this was an inadvertent oversight," Awbrey said.
The newsletter links now direct users to the mayor's office web page, Awbrey said.
