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An appearance in connection with a request that the Board reconsider to waive the $1,400 campaign finance late fee assessed against Carolyn N. Hill, a candidate for BESE, District 8 in the October 22, 2011 election, whose Special campaign finance disclosure report was filed 14 days late. |
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In connection with her request for a waiver of the $1,400 late fee assessed for the late filing of a Special campaign finance report, in her initial waiver request letter Carolyn N. Hill, states that she is a first time candidate, and did not understand the filing requirements for Special reports. She further states that having to pay the late fee would present a financial hardship.
In addition, the Board at its April 20, 2012 meeting deferred this matter to allow Ms. Hill to provide documentation that she did not receive a $10,000 contribution from EastPAC. It is Ms. Hill's contention that she did not deposit the contribution received from EastPAC and therefore never receive the contribution from EastPAC. She states that she returned the contribution at the request of EastPAC.
In her request for reconsideration she states Ms. Sommers requested additional information regarding her financial report. During that time, she requested information from her bank which was given and her financial documents from her finance manager, which happens to be her adopted mother. She states that unfortunately, the documents that were being requested were in the possession of her mother, which in return took terminally ill quickly and later passed away within a couple of months. She says honestly during the time of the Ethics hearing she was not present to defend her case. She indicates that she was consumed with taking care of her terminally ill mother, and neglected her personal and professional responsibility. She says, however, the initial reason why she was fined $1400 was due to not reporting a $10,000 payment from East Pac within 48 hours of receiving the funding.
Her campaign manager, her adopted mother, was unaware of the Ethics timeline and made a human error and reported the funds from LABI East Pac on the regular report that was scheduled to be complete by October 22, 2011. She states therefore, being a first time candidate running for office, her campaign manager and her made a human error in their reporting processes. She says she wanted to bring her mother to the initial hearing to explain to the board what had transpired during her reporting process, but her health was failing and within a couple of months she passed away.
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ELECTION: October 22, 2011
TYPE OF REPORT: Special
DAYS LATE: 14 ASSESSED FEE: $1,400
REPORT DUE: October 12, 2011
REPORT FILED: October 26, 2011
ACTIVITY REPORTED: $10,000 contribution
OTHER LATE FILINGS: None
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18:1505.4.A(1) Any candidate, the treasurer or chairman of a political committee, or any other person required to file any reports under this Chapter, who knowingly fails to file or who knowingly fails to timely file any such reports as are required by this Chapter may be assessed a civil penalty as provided in R.S.42:1157 for each day until such report is filed
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Decline to reconsider and uphold the Board's July 2012 decision.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Aneatra Boykin |
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