The Placer County arm of the Republican Party has been ensnared in the investigation of a San Diego County lawmaker by the state's campaign finance watchdog.

The matter resulted earlier this week in the resignation of the Placer County Republican Party Central Committee's treasurer, Lynn Kyme, the second such resignation from the group.

In June, the Placer central committee accepted a contribution of $32,400 from the expiring campaign account of Joel Anderson, a Republican assemblyman from Alpine. Five days later, the group wrote Anderson's new campaign account a check for $31,400.

The 2010 "Taxfighters for Anderson" campaign since has returned the money.

The Placer County central committee is among three county committees whose actions are being investigated by the state Fair Political Practices Commission for possible violation of campaign-finance laws. The other counties are Fresno and Stanislaus.

In total, Anderson's 2010 account got an infusion of $140,000 from the three party committees, which each received cash from Anderson's 2008 account before they contributed to his 2010 campaign.

According to The Fresno Bee, Anderson returned $78,000 to the Fresno County Republican Party.

Stuart Weil, of the Fresno central committee, told The Fresno Bee that the transactions had nothing to do with political money-laundering but rather showed support for Anderson.

It is unclear whether a $31,000 contribution from the Stanislaus County central committee was returned. Joan Clendenin, of the committee, declined to comment.

Anderson is up for re-election next year and is considering a run for the state Senate. Attempts to reach his campaign were unsuccessful Friday. He has not commented publicly on the matter.

Kyme and Jerry Simmons, who also resigned from the Placer County central committee, said they were in the dark about the source of the money going to Anderson.

Simmons, who was second vice president when the committee made the contribution to Anderson, said he and Kyme voted against accepting the money from an unknown source to give to Anderson.

"To me the biggest issue was I didn't know Joel Anderson," Simmons said. "I hadn't met Joel Anderson. I never knew he was a state assemblyman. I had never even heard his name before."

Simmons said he resigned shortly after the transaction. Kyme resigned Wednesday after the FPPC subpoenaed her. She signed the check to Anderson even though she said she did not favor it.

"I'm caught up in this because I'm the treasurer," Kyme said Friday. "It's my fanny in the wringer."

Tom Hudson, the committee chairman, has said publicly that he never spoke to Anderson about the transaction. Attempts Friday to reach Hudson were unsuccessful.

Simmons said the whole matter "just doesn't smell right to me."

Rocklin Mayor Peter Hill said this doesn't make the party look good. "This is another example of laundering money. The public will not look well on it."

Hill said this and other actions by the Placer GOP committee have him ready to leave the party.

Bob Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles and a former FPPC general counsel, told The Fresno Bee that the transactions appeared to be an effort to circumvent campaign finance laws. But Anderson's decision to return the money last month will "certainly ease the pressure" of the commission's investigation and could even end it, Stern said.

Anderson gives up any benefit of the money, which is "a bigger penalty than the FPPC could impose," Stern said.

Call The Bee's Ed Fletcher, (916) 321-1269. The Fresno Bee and Modesto Bee contributed to this report.