| Request that the Board waive $1,500, $1,300, $300 and $100 campaign finance late fees assessed against Desiree M. Charbonnet, a candidate for Mayor, City of New Orleans, in the October 14, 2017 election, with her committee's chairperson, Nelita Manego Ramey, and treasurer, Cynthia C. Bernard, whose Special (48 Hour) campaign finance disclosure reports were filed 17, 13, 3 and 1 days late, respectively. |
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Cynthia C. Bernard, Treasurer of Desiree Charbonnet for Mayor Campaign, states that all was going well until the account was handled by three different employees (due to
vacations, attrition and maternity leave). She states that she believed that she had complied as she used her Schedule of Reporting and Filing Dates' calendar to turn in her documentation to whomever she was assigned to at the time. She states she didn't ask questions due to her limited knowledge of the reporting process, but would make a follow-up call a few days later to inquire about the status of the report. She states she had no idea they were in violation of time lines until she started receiving certified letters from the Ethics office. She states that she worked diligently to amend whatever report needed their attention. She states it was then that she learned how to amend reports and stay in contact with the Ethics employees. She states this was her first time working on a campaign of this magnitude and she has no plans of being involved in a political campaign at this level ever again.
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ELECTION: October 14, 2017
TYPES OF REPORT: 4 - Special (48 Hour)
DAYS LATE: 17, 13, 3 and 1
ASSESSED FEE: $1,500, $1,300, $300 and $100
REPORTS DUE: September 28, 2017, October 2, 2017, October 10, 2017 and November 2, 2017
REPORTS FILED: Identified on 10-G, Identified on 10-G, October 12, 2017 and November 3, 2017
ACTIVITY REPORTED: Special (17 days late) : $1,500 in contributions rec'd on 9/25/17
Special (13 days late): 2 - $1,500 in contributions on 9/29/2017
Special (3 days late): $2,500 received on 10/7/17
Special (1 day late): 35 Contributions totaling $108,000 received on 10/30/2017
OTHER LATE FILINGS: 4 - PAID
Election: 10/20/2007 - 2009 SUPP (5 days late) - $100
10/4/2008 - 180-P (176 days late) - $1,000
90-P (85 days late) - $2,500
30-P (15 days late) - $1,000
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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 for each day until such report is filed. 18:1484.(2)(b). Each candidate for any other public office shall file reports of contributions in excess of two hundred dollars in the aggregate during the aggregating period.
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Decline to waive for all four special reports.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Jennifer Land |
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