| Request that the Board reconsider its decision to decline to waive $240 and $1,442.88 campaign finance late fees assessed against Kathy Reznik Benoit, an unsuccessful candidate for Judge, Family Court, Election Section 3, Division D, East Baton Rouge Parish, in the November 3, 2020 election, and her committee's chairperson, Alexandra Reznik Territo, whose 10-P and 10-G campaign finance disclosure reports were filed 4 and 35 days late, respectively. |
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Original waiver request stated:
She did not receive the late fee but her campaign manager did. She said that she is not a career politician and this is her first time running for office in LA. Her campaign consisted of herself and her pregnant sister. She called the staff at Ethics 7 times before 10/31/2020 to ask for assistance on how to complete the forms and tried to follow the instructions given. She said she had started a temporary teaching position and was teaching all day and making lesson plans. When she filed the10-P she was closing out her election so she did not think she had to file additional reports since there was not a run off election.
Reconsideration request states:
She has filed bankruptcy and request a financial hardship. She does not know if the other candidates that requested a waiver had also maintained a dialogue with the Louisiana Board of Ethics throughout the campaign and attempted to comply with all of the rules and regulations, but unfortunately, not everyone who runs for office in Louisiana understands the material presented and can easily interact with the computer program that was created to file campaign finance reports, which she was required by statute to use. For persons who are familiar with the lingo and the system, this may seem trivial or beyond belief that anyone could misread what was presented. She wishes to believe that if a person has felt it important enough to present their cause to this Board for consideration, that they are doing so because of a valid and just reason.
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ELECTION: November 3, 2020
TYPES OF REPORT: 10-P & 10-G
DAYS LATE: 4 & 35
ASSESSED FEE: $240 & $2,000
REPORTS DUE: October 26, 2020 and November 25, 2020
REPORTS FILED: October 30, 2020 and December 30, 2020
ACTIVITY REPORT: 10-P $198.00 in Receipt; $306.89 in Expenditures and $22.83 Funds on Hand at Close of Reporting Period
10-G $1,401.84 in Receipts; $1,442.88 in Expenditures and $-0 Funds 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.
LAC 52:1205(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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With respect to 10-G, reaffirm reduction to $1,442.88 based on Rule 1205C.
For each of 10-P and 10-G, suspend all based on future compliance.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Charles Reeves |
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