STATE OF MINNESOTA
CAMPAIGN FINANCE AND PUBLIC
DISCLOSURE BOARD
FINDINGS IN THE MATTER OF A
CONTRIBUTION MADE BY THE
MEYER (KRISTIN) FOR SENATE
COMMITTEE TO THE STEVEN SUMNER FOR SENATE COMMITTEE
Procedural Background
On February 3, 2003,
the Meyer (Kristin) for Senate Committee ("Committee") filed an Report of
Receipts and Expenditures ("Report") for the period covering January 1, through
December 31, 2002, with the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board
("Board"), disclosing a $250 contribution to the Steven Sumner for Senate
Committee, a principal campaign committee registered with the Board. The contribution was made on July 30, 2002.
Kristin Meyer,
candidate, stated that she made the contribution from her committee without
knowing she had to terminate that committee within the same reporting period.
She further states that Mr. Sumner's campaign accepted the contribution in good
faith.
In a letter to the
Board, Mr. Sumner stated that he took the contribution in good faith and
believed that the contribution was a personal contribution to his
campaign. Mr. Sumner indicated that the
contribution was returned to the Meyer (Kristin) for Senate Committee.
Minn. Stat. 10A.27,
subd. 9(a), prohibits a principal campaign committee from making a contribution
to another principal campaign committee, unless the donating committee is being
dissolved. Minn. Stat. 10A.27, subd.
9(a), also prohibits a principal campaign committee from accepting a
contribution from another principal campaign committee, unless the contributing
committee is dissolving.
On March 3, 2003, Ms.
Meyer provided the Board with a copy of a check from the Steven Sumner for
Senate Committee returning the contribution to the Meyer (Kristin) for Senate
Committee.
The Board considered
this matter in executive session on April 23, 2003. The matter was considered based on the Report and the
correspondence provided by the Committee.
Based on the record before it, the Board issues the
following:
1. The Meyer
(Kristin) for Senate Committee and the Steven Sumner for Senate Committee are
principal campaign committees registered with the Campaign Finance and Public
Disclosure Board.
2. The Meyer
(Kristin) for Senate Committee made a $250 contribution to the Steven Sumner
for Senate Committee on July 30, 2002, and did not terminate its registration
with the Board in calendar year 2002.
3. Minn. Stat.
10A.27, subd. 9(a), prohibits a principal campaign committee from making
contributions to another principal campaign committee, unless the donating
candidate's committee is being dissolved.
4. Minn. Stat. 10A.27, subd. 9(a),
prohibits a principal campaign committee from accepting a contribution from
another principal campaign committee, unless the contributing committee is
dissolving.
5. The Steven Sumner for Senate Committee
returned the contribution to the Meyer (Kristin) for Senate Committee, by check
dated February 21, 2003.
Based on the
above Statement of the Evidence, the Board makes the following:
FINDINGS CONCERNING PROBABLE CAUSE
1. There is
probable cause to believe that the Meyer (Kristin) for Senate Committee
violated Minn. Stat. 10A.27, subd. 9(a), when it made a contribution to the
Steven Sumner for Senate Committee.
2. There is
probable cause to believe that the Steven Sumner for Senate Committee violated
Minn. Stat. 10A.27, subd.9 (a), when it accepted a contribution from the Meyer
(Kristin) for Senate Committee.
3. At the time
this contribution was made, Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 10A provided no penalty
for this violation.
4. The
contribution having been returned, there is no probable cause to believe that a
violation continues to exist.
Based on the
above Findings, the Board issues the following:
ORDER
1. The contribution having been returned, there is no probable cause to believe a violation continues to exist.
2. The Board's investigation of this matter is concluded and entered into the public record in accordance with Minn. Stat. 10A.02, subd. 11.
Dated: April
24, 2003 _________________________________________
Clyde
Miller, chair
Campaign
Finance and Public Disclosure Board