RI GOP Calls for Investigation Into Campaign Violations from Mattiello’s PAC
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
The RI Republican Party Chairman Brandon Bell filed a complaint with the R.I. Board of Elections on Tuesday calling on the Board to investigate "multiple campaign violations" committed by the Fund for Democratic Leadership PAC. According to RI campaign records, Speaker Nicholas Mattiello is Chair of the PAC.
Patti Doyle, spokesperson for the Mattiello campaign said, “Speaker Mattiello is currently reviewing the complaint. If mistakes were made, they were unintentional in nature. Everything has been reported openly and transparently and, if errors were made, we will work with the Board of Elections to address and correct them."
GoLocal repeatedly reached out to Bell who filed the complaint and asked him for additional comments and to appear on GoLocal LIVE on Tuesday to discuss the complaint. Bell did not respond to requests.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"In order to win by 85 mail ballots, Mattiello's campaign ignored campaign finance law by coordinating with Shawna Lawton on her endorsement mailer. Now, it is clear that Mattiello's PAC also ignored campaign finance law in order to help nearly a majority of the members of the House of Representatives win re-election. Powerful politicians who ignore campaign finance laws have not set a shining example in our state as in the case of former House Speaker Gordon Fox. The Board of Elections needs to fully investigate Speaker Mattiello's PAC,” wrote Bell in a press release.
GOP Calims
The RI GOP wrote in the press release:
First, under R.I. law, a PAC is limited to contributing no more than $25,000 made in total to candidates and party committees in a single year. In 2016, the Fund for Democratic Leadership PAC made $38,100 in monetary contributions to 40 candidates and 5 party committees.
In addition, in 2016, Mattiello's PAC expended potentially $101,050 in-kind contributions to candidates in the form of advertising with GoLocalProv and on consultant and professional services with a polling firm, a company located at Rep. Mia Ackerman's residence, and with a consulting operation headed by Jeff Britt. Second, the $31,500 expended on advertising with GoLocalProv was never reported by Mattiello's PAC as either an in-kind contribution to candidates or as an independent expenditure as would be expected under the law. Third, candidates cannot receive a donation from a PAC in excess of $1,000 in a single year. In 2016, 21 candidates received a $1,000 monetary contribution from Mattiello's PAC, but in addition likely benefited from in-kind contributions made by Mattiello's PAC, in the form of internet advertising or assistance from professional services.
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