Meetings
 
Agenda Item
Docket No. 21-298
 
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RE:
Request that the Board reconsider its decision to decline to waive the $1,000 and $400 campaign finance late fees assessed against Clerice "Clo" Lacy, a successful candidate for Council Member at Large, City of Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, in the November 3, 2020 election, whose 30-P and 10-P campaign finance disclosure reports were filed 41 and 20 days late, respectively.
Facts:
Original request states the following:


Her failure to timely file the required reports was ignorance of the law. She states that she was a first time candidate and was unaware of the filing schedule. The packet she received did not have the filing requirements or a schedule enclosed. She has hardships due to covid-19 and she is currently unemployed. The late fee would create a financial hardship.

RECONSIDERATION


She missed the date of the new scheduled appearance. The matter was heard by the
Commission and a decision was rendered to assess the $1400.00 fine. She can in no way pay the assessed fine. She is currently unemployed and provides for her family with odd jobs. There are currently no funds in her campaign account. From her tax return for 2020 you can see that she earned roughly $16,782 for the year. She requests that the assessed fine is waived pending future compliance. Such a fine would cause a significant hardship her family.


Comments:
ELECTION: November 3, 2020
TYPES OF REPORT: 30-P & 10-P
DAYS LATE: 41 & 20
ASSESSED FEE: $1,000 & $400
REPORTS DUE: October 5, 2020 and October 26, 2020
REPORTS FILED: November 15, 2020 and November 15, 2020


ACTIVITY REPORT: 30-P: $1,700.00 in Receipt; $2,712.47 in Expenditures and $987.53 Funds on Hand at Close of Reporting Period


10-P $1,000.00 in Receipts; $1,000.00 in Expenditures and $353.80 Funds on Hand at Close of Reporting Period


OTHER LATE FILINGS: NONE


Law:
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.

18:1495.4D(1) If the final report of a candidate for an election, as required by Paragraph (5), (6), or (7)of Subsection B of this Section, shows a deficit or a surplus, the candidate and his treasurer, if any, shall file supplemental reports with the supervisory committee of all information required in R.S. 18:1495.5. Such reports shall be filed annually no later than February fifteenth and shall be complete through the preceding December thirty-first. Such a supplemental report shall be filed each year until a report has been filed which shows no deficit and until any surplus campaign funds have been disposed of in accordance with R.S. 18:1505.2(I). The report on surplus funds shall disclose the disbursement of such funds in the same manner as expenditures are reported.

Recommendations:
For each of 30-P and 10-P, suspend all but $100 ($200 total), based on future compliance.


Assigned Attorney: Charles Reeves
 
 
ATTACHMENTS:
Description:
2021-298 - CF Waiver Request Clerice _Clo_ Lacy 30-P
2021-298 - CF Waiver Request Clerice _Clo_ Lacy 10-P
2021-298- WR Letter - Decline
2021-298 CF Reconsideration of Waiver