The Latino Legislative Caucus released the names of dozens of donors Monday that collectively have contributed more than $400,000 to its nonprofit foundation since 2009.

Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez pushed the caucus for disclosure last week in response to a story by The Bee, which noted that voters had no way of knowing who was donating big bucks to the foundation controlled by Latino lawmakers.

Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, an Artesia Democrat who has chaired the Latino Legislative Caucus since December, released a list of 53 donors who contributed $243,600 in 2009 and $195,500 in 2010.

Mendoza previously had released a list of seven contributions received since he took control of the caucus late last year. Only three of them, totaling $20,000, were donated in 2011.

"We look forward to increasing transparency and accountability within the foundation today and in the future," he said.

The list of contributors released Monday includes powerful Capitol interest groups that push lawmakers to vote their way on dozens of bills each year.

By far the largest donor in 2010 was Eli Lilly & Co., which gave $50,000. Other major contributors were AT&T, $25,000; California State Association of Electrical Workers, $20,000; and Verizon, $18,000.

Top donors in 2009 were AT&T, California Real Estate Political Action Committee, Community Financial Services, and Eli Lilly & Co, $25,000 each; and the California State Council of Laborers, $20,000.

State law requires lawmakers to disclose donations above $5,000 that they solicit for community or charity causes.

The legal obligation is less clear, however, when the elected official is acting as part of a group and does not personally make the pitch for money.

Derek Cressman of Common Cause said he would like to see limits placed on such nonprofit contributions and disclosure required when lawmakers act as a caucus, not just as individuals.

The Black Legislative Caucus consistently has disclosed donors to its nonprofit foundation, but the Latino Legislative Caucus has followed suit in only two years – 2007 and 2008.

The Latino foundation sponsors numerous activities ranging from Latino Spirit Awards to commemoration of Cesar Chavez Day.

Mendoza said that the caucus was not in the practice of disclosing when he became leader and he retained that status quo. "It should have been done the last two years, I'm assuming," Mendoza said of disclosure. "There's no reason we shouldn't."

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