GOP Failed To File Expense Report In HD-48 Special

The Republican Party of Texas didn’t file a disclosure report on its activities and expenditures during the HD-48 special election runoff, according to the Dallas Morning News:

State Republican Party executive director Jeff Fisher said that he does not believe the party needed to file a report on Feb. 6 because the GOP sent all its expenses to the candidate’s campaign, which reported them. But the information disclosed by the candidate does not say – as the state party’s filing would be obliged to – who donated the money that was used or what other contributions the party received in the weeks leading up to the election.

Ethics Commission spokesman Tim Sorrell said that he could not comment on specific circumstances but that the law generally requires, “if they have activity in connection with an election, then they will file a report, a pre-election report, disclosing that activity.”

And, this may effect the party’s plea bargin with the Travis County DA:

Four months ago, the party signed an agreement deferring prosecution for campaign finance improprieties. Under the agreement with Travis County Attorney David Escamilla, the GOP agreed to abide by the state’s election laws, including timely filing of disclosure reports.

According to campaign reports filed by legislative candidate Ben Bentzin, the GOP spent more than $16,000 for payroll, postage and office costs in the February special election that Mr. Bentzin lost to Democrat Donna Howard. The party also ran a flurry of TV ads on behalf of Mr. Bentzin, but the costs of those were not evident in the candidate’s disclosure.

In addition, the campaign sent $45,500 to the state party 11 days before the runoff vote that decided the race.

Mr. Bentzin, his campaign manager and his campaign treasurer could not be reached for comment.

Mr. Escamilla, who reached the deal with the party over its use of corporate money in previous campaigns, said the party’s failure to file a report in the special election was “the first indication that I have of possible noncompliance to that agreement, and so it is of interest to me.”

“One of the many conditions was that they would not break any law, including specifically any law contained in the Election Code. And that they would file all required reports,” he said.

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