| Request that the Board waive the three (3) $2,000, for a total of $6,000, campaign finance late fees assessed against Gerald Chelette, a candidate for Sheriff, Grant Parish, in the October 12, 2019 election election, whose 30-P, 10-P and 10-G campaign finance disclosure reports were filed 79, 114 and 134 days late, respectively. |
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Gerald Chelette requests a waiver and states the following:
He didn't understand this process and the timeline to do certain things. He is a retired disabled veteran of Special Forces as a Senior Intelligence Sergeant. He has custody of and is raising his four children on a military retirement of $2,132.77 a month. Paying these fines would be a hardship on him and his family. He is also a full time student at Natchitoches earning his criminal justice degree.
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ELECTION: October 12, 2019
TYPES OF REPORT: 30-P, 10-P & 10-G
DAYS LATE: 79, 114 & 134
ASSESSED FEE: $2,000, $2,000 & $2,000
REPORTS DUE: September 12, 2019, October 2, 2019 and November 6, 2019
REPORTS FILED: All filed on January 24, 2020
ACTIVITY REPORTED: 30-P $-0 in Receipts; $-0 in Expenditure; $-0 Funds on Hand at Close of Reporting Period
10-P: $-0 in Receipts; $-0 in Disbursements and $-0 Funds on Hand at Close of Reporting Period
10-G: $-0 in Receipts; $-0 in Disbursements and $-0 Fund on Hand at Close of Reporting Period
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 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.
Ethics Rule 1205(C) states if a report is filed more than 10 days late and the amount of activity on the report is less than the amount of the late fee to be assessed, the staff may reduce the late fee to the amount of activity or 10 times the per-day penalty, whichever is greater.
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Reduce each to $600 based on Rule 1205C; decline to waive.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Charles Reeves |
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