[Mpls] Re: Felien on Zimmermann

[Tim Bonham]

>As for the comments about the undeposited envelopes, it is our view that
>this is a good thing.  As a former candidate, and a former assistant
>treasurer to several campaigns, we have sometimes come accross donations
>that didn't pass the "smell" test, or were from people who had already maxed
>out their contributions.
>
>In this case it is the responsibility of the officer of the campaign
>(treasurer, assistant to the treasurer, candidate, or other) to set these
>aside and attempt to get more information.  It has been necessary to return
>donations in some cases, or to get more information on employer or whatever
>in other cases.  This is the job of the treasurer of a campaign.  If this
>causes a contribution to be undeposited for longer than the deadline, it has
>always been the judgement of the smart people I have worked with, that
>taking the time to make the right decision before the money is deposited is
>always prudent.

It may be "a good thing" in your view, but your view doesn't 
matter.  State Law is what matters.

The legal responsibility of the Treasurer is to either deposit the 
contribution or return it, within the legally required time 
period.  If you can't get the information within that period, you are 
obligated to return the contribution.  That is the right decision, 
because it complies with the law.

What you are suggesting as 'the judgement of the smart people' would 
be opening a huge loophole in our Campaign Finance Reporting Law.  It 
would allow candidates to conceal contributions, by neither reporting 
it on their Finance Reports, nor returning it to the donor, but just 
holding onto the money while waiting indefinitely to 'make the right 
decision'.  (That is what Dean Z. is alleged to have done.)   You 
could drive a semi-truck thru the loophole created if this was allowed!

Tim Bonham, Ward 12, Standish-Ericsson