Did Renville County RPM have money to cover a $4500 check to Miller's committee on 7/17/2016?

After looking over our morning post, Beet coop PAC pours sugar on Renville Co RPM; Renville Co RPM sweetens Tim Miller committee, a reader did little math, then sent us an interesting email:

Potential campaign finance violation by Tim Miller.

On 07/17/16, Tim Miller’s campaign committee reported a $4,500 donation by the Renville County RPM (Reg. 20237).  This is in addition to a donation $500 donation received on 6/14/16.

 

On 07/18/16, Renville County RPM received a donation of $5000 from SMBSC PAC - State Account (this is Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative PAC, Reg. # 30221).  Also, on 07/18/16, Renville County RPM reported donation of $4,500 to Tim Miller committee.  Tim Miller campaign committee reported to have received this contribution on 07/17/16.

 

Renville County RPM did not have the funds in their account to write a $4,500 donation to Tim Miller committee on 07/17/16 without the receipt of the $5,000 contribution by SMBSC-PAC on 07/18/16.

 

Renville County RPM beginning balance on 01/01/16:  $4228.17

 

All non-itemized receipts 01/01/16 - 7/18/16:  $2496.00

 

Total:  $6,724.17

 

Less expenditures:

04/19/16 - Renville County Agricultural Society (Fair Booth):  $210.00

01/01/16 - 7/18/16 - Non-itemized expenditures:  $438.24

 

04/16/16 - Contribution to Andrew Lang committee:  $2,500.00

04/16/16 - Contribution to Tim Miller committee:  $500.00

 

Total possible cash on 07/17/16 for Renville County RPM:  $3,075.93

Since a check for $4500 couldn't be written by the Renville County RPM to Tim Miller on July 17, since the account would be negative by $1,424.07, it does look like the BPOU knew the check was on its way.

 

Did the Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Co-operative PAC intend for most of its $5000 check to go to Tim Miller's committee, passing through the local BPOU in order to evade individual contribution limits?

 

If so, that' earmarking, which is prohibited by Minnesota Statute 10A.16:

 

An individual, political committee, political fund, principal campaign committee, or party unit may not solicit or accept a contribution from any source with the express or implied condition that the contribution or any part of it be directed to a particular candidate other than the initial recipient. An individual, political committee, political fund, principal campaign committee, or party unit that knowingly accepts any earmarked contribution is subject to a civil penalty imposed by the board of up to $3,000. Knowingly accepting any earmarked contribution is a gross misdemeanor.

 

We'll keep watching this development.

 

Photo: Part of the 2013 Beaver Creek fishkill.

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