The New Ulm Journal reports in DFL targeting Quist over failure to file disclosure forms that the state DFL is alleging that both Allen Quist and Lee Byberg have failed to file important financial information.
Staff writer Josh Moniz reports:
The Financial Disclosure Statement is an annual report required of Congressional lawmakers, certain top government officials and candidates for Congressional offices. The reports are used by watchdog organization to track members of Congress and seek out conflict-of-interests.
U.S. House of Representatives candidates are required to file their form when they exceed $5,000 in campaign funds raised or spent during the race. The rules require the report be filed within 30 days of passing that threshold to become a "qualified" candidate or by May 15, which ever one is the later date. Additionally, "qualified" candidates must file no later than 30 days before any election the candidates will participate in, such as a primary. If candidates pass the threshold within the 30 days until an election, they are required to file immediately.
Quist announced his congressional bid in December of 2011. Between Jan. 1 and March 31, Quist raised $37,710 for his campaign, according to his FEC quarterly filings. The Office of the Clerk for the U.S. House of Representatives does not have a filing list for Quist in its data base for 2011 and 2012.
According to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Rules under Rule XXVI, the Attorney General may bring civil action against any willful falsification of report information or willful failure to file the report. The court may assess a civil penalty in any amount that does not exceed $10,000. The incident may be referred to the Attorney General through several sources including each congressional ethics committee.
New Ulm is in the First, so the paper stresses his alleged transgression. Buried in the copy, though, Bluestem reads a passage about the endorsed Republican running here in the Seventh:
The DFL is also targeting Lee Byberg in the 7th Congressional District. In the e-mail, the DFL claims Quist and Byberg are the only Minnesota candidates to fail to file the form.
Moniz notes that the DFL and others are able to track the disclosure forms using tools created b a provision of the STOCK Act, which was sponsored by CD1 incumbent Rep. Tim Walz.
The search form at the Office of the Clerk can be found here. A search of the database confirmed the story, as well as look at the lists online of those who had filed.
Photoshopped image: Quist doesn't need courage. He needs to file his financial disclosure form, just as fellow traveler Lee Byberg ought to do.
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