Campaign Finance Violations Bring Fine
The State Board of Elections on Thursday ordered a Fayetteville lawmaker's campaign committee to pay more than $16,000 for campaign finance violations.
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The elections board ruled in June that Rep. Mary McAllister, D-Cumberland, committed a "substantial violation" of rules governing campaign finances. But the elections board found no criminal wrongdoing and didn't refer the case to prosecutors.
McAllister deposited money from her campaign into her personal account and was repaid for a nonexistent loan to her campaign, the board ruled.
The 17-year veteran of the state House testified that she didn't remember certain loan payments listed in her campaign reports. She also claimed election workers may have made mistakes.
The elections board subpoenaed McAllister's bank records after a state audit raised concerns about her campaign finances and her state-funded non-profit.
The elections board ordered her campaign committee to forfeit $3,625 in illegal campaign contributions and $5,669 for the loan repayment. It also ordered her to pay $7,000 to reimburse the board for its costs in investigating the case.
McAllister has filed amended campaign reports to correct the errors in earlier reports and has hired an accountant as campaign treasurer, the board noted in its two-page order.
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