Heath Flora, the ousted GOP Assembly leader, is at the center of allegations involving two extramarital affairs and the misuse of campaign funds for personal expenses, including bars, hotels, and restaurants, as reported by The Post.
Flora lost his leadership role less than a year after assuming it, following revelations by the California Post that he is under two state ethics investigations, including one for alleged campaign fund misuse.
Flora, a Republican from Ripon with a background in farming and firefighting, was replaced by first-term Tulare Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo.
In a statement to The Post, Macedo expressed her gratitude for her colleagues’ trust, emphasizing a unified caucus committed to practical solutions.
“Our message is clear: California is becoming unaffordable for working families, and our caucus is united in the fight to bring down the cost of living, make our communities safer and hold state bureaucrats accountable,” she stated.
According to The Post, Flora’s campaign filings reveal extensive expenses at Sacramento’s Chargins’ Bar & Grill, located over 50 miles from his district.
Flora’s popularity waned in July after siding with Democrat Assemblymember Juan Alanis to support tax hikes, leading to dissatisfaction among Republicans.
Flora, who did not respond to requests for comment, is pursuing a final term while facing allegations from Kimberly Pebbles, a retired hairstylist. She claims she had a two-year affair with Flora, starting in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Sacramento Bee previously reported Flora, a self-described devout Christian now divorced, had an affair with former lobbyist Emily Hughes, overlapping with Pebbles’ claims.
Pebbles stated Flora covered expenses at bars, restaurants, and hotels during their affair, which ended in 2022 when she discovered his marriage and concurrent affair with Hughes.
“It was always party time, lobbyists, drinking and going out,” Pebbles told The Post. “Knowing what I know now, the spending he was doing did not reflect his own personal budget.”
She added, “Paying for your mistress and a hotel is not at all campaign-related.” The Post could not independently verify if campaign money paid for hotels with Pebbles.
Pebbles, going through her own divorce, recalled spending time with Flora at Chargins Bar & Grill and Club 2 Me, bars that appeared in Flora’s campaign finance reports.
“I can tell you there was a lot of money spent,” Pebbles said.
Pebbles said the lifestyle took a toll on her, leading to treatment for alcohol abuse. She is now in a better place.
“I’m very spiritual and god-fearing myself,” Pebbles said. “I took this as a Republican, hard-working man, comes from a farm, comes from religion. There were definitely some elements he gave off that portrayed him to be very different. It kind of gives me the ick now.”
“Just the fact that he attempted to use god and religion in a manipulative way, it’s just gross,” she added.
New campaign finance disclosures reveal Flora’s committee continued significant spending at Chargins bar amid scrutiny.
The latest reports show an additional 21 charges totaling over $5,400 at the bar between late April and mid-June, bringing the total since early 2025 to over $16,000.
Most tabs at Chargins were listed as “District Meeting” meals, with one expense on June 2 labeled as an “Election Night” meal. Another $961.17 charge a week later was also identified as a district meeting. These expenses coincided with legislative sessions and state budget discussions.
Flora’s critical vote supporting tax hikes led to a breaking point among colleagues.
Assemblymember Alanis, who also voted for the tax increases, stated the party was not unified on the leadership change.
“The election of a new minority leader was fiercely divided,” Alanis said. “A significant portion of caucus members opposed the leadership change and the direction it represents.”
Flora, seeking a final two-year term, received 30.6% in the June primary in Stanislaus County—the lowest support for any incumbent legislator in his district, with local Republican parties declining to endorse him.
Joel Campos, chair of the Stanislaus County Republican party, expressed enthusiasm for Macedo’s leadership, stating, “She offers a strong conservative voice from the Valley and will advance our values with credibility and integrity.”
Flora’s campaign filings also showed a $22,500 fundraising charge for a Las Vegas Raiders game, a $2,476 charge for campaign meetings at Bighorn Golf Club, and purchases at BevMo and Total Wine & More listed as “office expenses.”
The Post previously reported Flora’s campaign treasurer stepped back from managing his books in early 2024.
Flora did not respond to questions about Pebbles’ allegations, recent campaign spending, or if campaign funds were used for personal expenses.
State law allows campaign funds for political, legislative, or governmental purposes but not for personal use, and the Fair Political Practices Commission, investigating Flora, declined comment on ongoing cases.
