Warwick, RI - Today, the Rhode Island Republican Party has filed a formal  complaint with the R.I. Board of Elections against “The Friends of Patrick Lynch Committee” for violations of Rhode Island Campaign Finance Law and R.I Board of Elections’ Campaign Finance Manual for the campaign finance reports the Lynch Committee has filed for the second quarter of 2008 through the first quarter 2009. The RIGOP hereby requests a public hearing on the record on this complaint as set forth in Rule B.1 (d) of the Rules of Practice & Procedure in Adjudicatory Hearings of the Boards.  

After a careful review of the Campaign Finance reports evidence shows the campaign finance reports filed from second quarter of 2008 through the first quarter of 2009, the Lynch Committee spent approximately $9,110.27 from its campaign account on expenditures with it labeled as “petty cash” including items such as “trip to Kentucky” together with numerous expenditures on meals, hotels and taxis. The Lynch Committee has violated Rhode Island campaign finance law and the R.I. Board of Elections’ Campaign Finance Manual repeatedly over the past year.  These actions violate Section 10.4 of the Board’s Campaign Finance Manual, and R.I.G.L Section 17-25-11(a) (3) (iii).

Under R.I.G.L Section 17-25-13, each violation of campaign finance law is subject to a fine of up to $100. There are 31 separate petty cash entries, over the past year, which exceed the $25 per transaction limit for petty cash expenditures. The RIGOP hopes the R.I. Board of Elections will find these expenditures done by the Lynch Committee a violation of the two legal requirements and be assessed a fine of $3,100.00.

“We are confident that once a carful and diligent investigation has been conducted, the R.I. Board of elections will find these expenditures done by the Lynch Committee a violation of the two legal requirements and that the Board requires the Lynch Committee to disclose to the public the name and address of the recipients of the improperly disclosed expenditures”, said Steve Frias, General Counsel of the RI Republican Party.

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