Hynes Campaign Pays $76,500 Penalty for Excessive Contributions

HYNES CAMPAIGN PAYS $76,500 PENALTY FOR EXCESSIVE CONTRIBUTIONS

WASHINGTON – The Federal Election Commission (FEC) announced today that Hynes for Senate, the committee for Daniel Hynes’ 2004 Illinois Democratic Senate primary campaign, and its treasurer, Jeffrey C. Wagner, have agreed to pay a civil penalty of $76,500 for violations of the Federal Election Campaign Act.

          In the primary election, another candidate (Blair Hull) exceeded personal spending thresholds under the “Millionaire’s Amendment” that entitled his opponents to accept contributions of as much as $12,000 per individual – well above the then applicable limit of $2,000 per election.  Opposing candidates may only accept contributions under the increased limits of the “Millionaire’s Amendment” as long as the self-funding individual remains a candidate – which in this case ended on March 16, 2004, the date of the primary election.

          In the course of its normal review of reports, the FEC discovered that Hynes for Senate continued to solicit and accept contributions up to the increased limits after March 16 in an effort to pay debts incurred during the primary election campaign.  The FEC also found that Hynes for Senate had received contributions made in the names of others and instructed the Committee to disgorge the funds to the U. S. Treasury within 30 days.  The Committee additionally failed to include approximately $400,000 in debts and obligations on its original April 2004 Quarterly Report, in violation of 2 U.S.C. § 434(b).

This release contains only disposition information.

There are four administrative stages to the FEC enforcement process:

It requires the votes of at least four of the six Commissioners to take any action. The FEC can close a case at any point after reviewing a complaint.  If a violation is found and conciliation cannot be reached, then the FEC can institute a civil court action against a respondent.