The Ethics Board announced today that they have made a deal with U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah regarding funds his exploratory committee spent on his mayoral campaign – an issue first raised in the Daily News back in February.
The mayoral campaign has reimbursed $33,251 $36,767 (number was updated -- W) to the exploratory committee, according to Shane Creamer, executive director of the Board of Ethics. The money was spent on Fattah’s website, his candidacy announcement and office supplies, Creamer said.
Back in February, good government types said Fattah was violating the spirit of the campaign finance law by spending his exploratory funds on his campaign – because he had accepted donations above the city campaign contribution limits while in his “exploratory” (before declaration of candidacy) stage.
Committee of Seventy CEO Zack Stalberg praised the decision by the board, saying “it’s pretty clear the Fattah campaign misbehaved or they wouldn’t be agreeing to this settlement. And I think it’s the first strong signal from the Board of Ethics that they are going to take this law quite seriously.”
The campaign adds that Shane Creamer made a point of saying how the Fattah campaign had provided “extraordinary detail for requests about many, many questions” and that Fattah did “everything asked of him.”
- Reported by Catherine Lucey
Comments (8)
This was little more than a slap on the wrist.
Fattah broke the law last fall when he knowingly violated the confines of his exploratory and used donations well above the limits for declared candidates to start campaigning.
While this is a good starting point for an ethics board that has only been in business for six months and is understaffed, Fattah should have been charged with a violation and fined.
This was not an accidental violation on his part. He broke the law while at the same time suing for the state of PA to take away Philly's right to regulate such transactions, and he still might succeed.
Now all he has to do is pay the money back to the exploratory committee, what a joke? This decision only legitimizes a loophole in campaign finance restrictions, that Fattah was cynical enough to be the first to take advantage of.
I'm going to have to disagree with Mr. Stallberg. This decision was barely a gentle scolding to Fattah, and will certaintly not discourage this kind of behavior in the future. Philadelphia needs to get tough on corruption.
If the board expects to be taken seriously, it will have to do more than make deals with those who break the law.
Posted by Liz | April 17, 2007 3:55 PM
The amount was reported as $42,000 elsewhere. Not a huge difference, but worth pointing out (don't know which number is correct).
Also, the settlement doesn't seem to address the money the exploratory committee spent toward creating the policy papers Fattah has been releasing throughout the campaign.
Posted by Dave![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://blogs.phillynews.com/dailynews/nextmayor/nav-commenters.gif)
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April 17, 2007 4:04 PM
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