Griffith preparing list of overdue campaign finance reports

Luzerne County Controller Walter Griffith said Friday night he was in the process of preparing a public posting of candidates and campaign committees that did not file campaign finance reports required shortly before and after the May 16 primary election.

He stressed his office is not analyzing the contents of each report, but instead is making sure reports are filed within deadline.

The county is posting the violation list because it is required by law — not because it is attempting to embarrass those impacted, he said.

The report will appear under the election bureau campaign finance report section at luzernecounty.org, Griffith said.

Griffith reiterated that he believes most violators were unaware of the requirements, even though that information is furnished to them. Some candidates/committees also wrongly believe they are exempt from filing anything because they did not spend money, but state law requires them to file regardless unless they file for a waiver, he had said.

County officials held a news conference earlier this week announcing the controller’s office and county election bureau teamed up to track campaign finance reports — a task that has not been comprehensively enforced by the bureau over the last few years.

The election bureau said it was mailing violation notices that included fines to those with missing reports.

After hearing some complaints about these fines, Griffith stressed Friday that fines are spelled out in state election law that must be followed by the county.

The fine is $20 the first six days a report is not filed and $10 for each day beyond that, for a maximum fine of $250, officials said. Weekends and holidays are not included in the calculating of fines.

“I understand the frustration of some, but we have to fine by statute. We also have to publish the list,” Griffith said.

State law requires the county to “publish a list of all those candidates and their committees who have failed to file reports” within six days of their failure to comply, Griffith said.

To be fair and accurate, Griffith said the election bureau will regularly update the online list to delete candidate/committee names as they pay fines and file reports.

He estimated approximately 20 candidates and committees will appear on the list for failing to file one or both of these reports — a “second Friday pre-primary report” due May 5 and a “30 day post-primary” campaign finance report due June 15.

The estimated violators were higher at the news conference this week, but Griffith said that tentative figure did not factor in those that already filed late reports and paid their fine.

Now that the county is on top of filings, the election bureau has promised to continue the tracking with each filing deadline.

Griffith initiated an audit of campaign finance reports at the request of county Manager Romilda Crocamo and the county’s five-citizen volunteer election board. The board needs accurate, timely information because it must certify that candidates are up to date in their report filing, he said.

Griffith said he must provide the election bureau and administration with time to respond to his audit before it is publicly released and posted on the county website.

The controller recently announced his office has worked with election bureau and information technology department representatives to start uploading 2023 campaign finance reports on the election page at luzernecounty.org, although he cautioned the online database is still a work in progress because some reports must be scanned in.