Campaign Finance Board Launches Investigation Into Republican Party of Minnesota

Complaint from Common Cause triggers investigation for breaking state law

In a letter to Common Cause Minnesota, the Minnesota Campaign and Disclosure Board (CFB) has announced that it has launched a full investigation into the financial activities of the Republican Party of Minnesota (RPM). Despite the fact that the RPM has already admitted to numerous violations publically, this investigation will take months to sort through all the potential violations.

“Common Cause is calling on the Republican Party of Minnesota to release all the documents related to the investigation,” said Mike Dean, Executive Director of Common Cause Minnesota.  “The Republican Party of Minnesota has broken the trust of party activists and the public by hiding hundreds of thousands of dollars in spending. Now is the time to be open and honest about its party finances.”

Read the letter from the board here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/77663254/GOP-Investigation

The CFB is investigating whether the RPM illegally hid hundreds of thousands of dollars of expenditures off the books to hide the huge debt that the party has amassed in 2010. In addition, Common Cause has alleged that the RPM illegally created a shell corporation to funnel contributions and expenditures through during the 2010 recount.

Read the Common Cause Minnesota complaint here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/77224812/GOP-Recount-Complaint

The RPM could face a fine as high as $1.1 million. In addition, under Minnesota law, criminal penalties can be sought against former RPM chair Tony Sutton and former treasurer David Sturrock.