Are you prepared for some soccer? Odds are Heath Flora is.
The embattled California Republican legislator — who’s the focus of two state ethics investigations and was not too long ago ousted as GOP minority chief of the state Meeting — seems to have damaged the regulation by collaborating in a high-dollar NFL survivor pool run by means of a Sacramento dive bar, in accordance with interviews and information obtained by the California Publish.
Emails present Flora was making NFL picks in 2021 from a private electronic mail deal with however the messages included his title as a state Assemblymember, in addition to his work deal with and cellphone numbers for his Capitol and district places of work.
A former bartender and supervisor for bar Membership 2 Me confirmed that Flora participated in an NFL survivor pool with a $50 buy-in and about 100 individuals within the pool.
An NFL survivor pool is a contest the place gamers decide one group to win every week, can’t decide the identical group twice, and are eradicated when their decide loses.
The bar supervisor instructed The Publish that the overall payout by the top of the season might climb as excessive as $5,000.
California regulation prohibits making or accepting wagers on the end result of sporting occasions.
State regulation gives an exception for sure pleasant betting swimming pools, however caps the overall worth of prizes or winnings at $2,500.
Bryan Sullivan, a accomplice at Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae LLP, instructed The Publish that California regulation clearly bars elected officers from betting in an official capability.
“California regulation made it clear in 2021 — and it stays true as we speak — {that a} legislator can not use the status of their workplace to take part in non-public playing actions,” Sullivan stated in a press release.
“Utilizing an official title in an NFL survivor pool was improper then, and it’s unequivocally improper now.”
The emails obtained by The Publish present Flora’s involvement within the betting pool stretched at the very least a number of weeks. On Aug. 9, 2021, Flora emailed the Membership 2 Me account asking to be included.
“JD instructed me to electronic mail you and ensure I’m in your checklist,” Flora wrote to the bar supervisor, referencing a widely known state lobbyist, in accordance with a supply with data of the matter.
The bar supervisor replied to Flora: “You’re formally on the checklist. Thanks.”
Flora then proceeded to put picks on the Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Payments and Denver Broncos in successive weeks, in accordance with the emails.
On Sept. 23, 2021, the bar supervisor responded to Flora’s Broncos decide with the observe: “Thank Heath. Choice confirmed. Good luck my buddy.”
Though Flora despatched the emails from his private Gmail account, his messages carried a signature figuring out him as “Assemblymember twelfth district” and his official work contacts.
In 2022, state redistricting modified Flora’s central valley area to the ninth district, masking Amador, Calaveras, Sacramento, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties.
Flora didn’t reply to requests for remark, and his workplace ignored The Publish’s questions on his NFL picks and use of his official title and authorities contact info within the emails.
The revelation provides to mounting scrutiny surrounding Flora, who’s already the topic of two investigations by California’s Truthful Political Practices Fee.
The Publish beforehand revealed that one investigation stems from an October 2025 grievance involving behested funds, whereas one other includes allegations that Flora misused marketing campaign funds.
Flora was ousted from his GOP management place a day after The Publish revealed a narrative documenting the investigations and Flora’s extreme bar tabs, in addition to Capitol sources expressing their displeasure with a controversial vote Flora took siding with Democrats to boost taxes in cities and counties throughout the state.
The Publish additionally revealed allegations that Flora, a self-proclaimed religious Christian, carried on simultaneous extramarital affairs earlier than getting divorced.
In late 2025, a bombshell story by the Sacramento Bee documented Flora’s first affair with a former lobbyist and famous that he was dwelling in a house outdoors of his district.
The report additionally discovered Flora had not been making youngster help funds till a court docket started garnishing his wages from the state Legislature.
Flora, who’s presently in search of a ultimate two-year time period within the state Meeting, has been flagrant in his marketing campaign spending, working up big tabs at an East Sac dive bar and ceaselessly expensing golf gear, journeys and tickets to sporting occasions.
Many of those fees have been documented as conferences or fundraisers.
A supply beforehand instructed The Publish that Flora’s marketing campaign treasurer stepped down from overseeing his bills in early 2024.
Membership 2 Me is lower than two blocks from Chargins, the bar the place Flora has racked up roughly $16,000 in tabs since April 2025 whereas billing a lot of the fees to his marketing campaign as meals for district conferences.
Neither of the bars is situated within the district Flora represents.
“I don’t keep in mind serving him that a lot,” the Membership 2 Me bartender instructed The Publish. “He was by no means a problematic drinker to me. However perhaps he knew I wasn’t going to place up with any s—.”
Flora’s troubles observe a dismal displaying within the June main, when he obtained simply 30.6% of the vote — the bottom degree of help of any incumbent state legislator.
As a Republican in a right-leaning district, Flora remains to be the favourite to advance within the November runoff, however not one of the Republican events in his district endorsed him for the first election.
Flora’s participation in an NFL betting pool with Membership 2 Me got here as a shock to the bar’s present proprietor, Linda Feil, who took management of the bar in February.
“I had no concept,” Feil stated. “I’ve not heard something about it. I do know one factor for sure — there isn’t any playing right here below my watch.”
Relating to Flora, she added: “I don’t even know the person.”
