The Office of Campaign Finance did not make any rulings at an hour-long closed hearing yesterday with Tyler Sadonis, the A Voice 4 U Campaign, Eagle Communications and their pro bono legal counsel.
During the hearing, those involved with the campaign responded to a complaint filed with the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics’ Office of Campaign Finance Oct. 22 by Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner 3D 02 Tom Smith. ANC 3D 02 write-in candidate Sadonis, the campaign team and the public relations firm addressed issues raised in Smith’s complaint, including:
- A “paid for” disclaimer must appear on campaign literature.
- An organization must file a statement of organization as a political action committee to the BOEE, which can support any candidate, or a principal campaign committee, which only supports one candidate.
- Limits for individual donations to the campaign must not be over $25.
- In-kind contributions to the campaign must not be “excessive,” as deemed by the OCF.
Campaign literature
Sadonis said the mistakes made with campaign literature were made in good faith. Smith submitted copies of early AV4U campaign literature as evidence because it did not include the disclaimer, “paid for by,” and other additional necessary information.
AV4U’s Finance Director Ed Levandoski said this literature was distributed to about 75 houses during the second week of campaigning.
“As students, it is a learning process,” Levandoski said. “There are bound to be some minor mistakes.”
Going forward, all the literature will have the appropriate information, Levandoski said.
Political action committee statement of organization
Levandoski and AV4U Campaign Manager Bharat Krishnan had not known about the requirement to file a statement of organization to the BOEE before Smith filed his complaint, Levandoski said.
Levandoski and Krishnan went to the OCF’s office Sept. 23 to discuss proper filing procedures. They believed the only requirements were the declarations of candidacy and financial disclosure forms.
“We thought we were in compliance up until the [complaint] was filed,” Levandoski said.
Campaign donation limits
Levandoski would not comment specifically on any donations given to the campaign.
In accordance with OCF rules, Levandoski will release financial records from the campaign after the election.
Excessive in-kind contributions
The OCF has not yet ruled on whether Eagle Communication’s in-kind services provided to the campaign are “excessive.”
Eagle Communications and AV4U agreed on a $500 fee for the public relation firm’s services. Smith’s complaint said that Eagle Communications’ services are worth more than that and that commercial marketplace charges would be higher.
“In-kind” donation are considered “a contribution of goods, services or property offered free or at less than the usual and normal charge, or payments by a third party for goods and services,” according to the OCF.
Morgan Gress of Eagle Communications said both parties agreed on the $500 price through negotiation and signed a contract that lasts through Nov. 10.
“We didn’t feel like we were donating our services,” she said. “It was a negotiation.”
However, Gress said Eagle Communications did not anticipate to work so many hours. Of the 47 hours they worked in total, 26 have been dedicated to responding to Smith’s recent complaints and petitions.
sdazio@theeagleonline.com
