Democratic Senate candidate Matt Brown is accused by both parties of laundering money to skirt federal elections laws.

01:00 AM EST on Friday, March 31, 2006

BY JOHN E. MULLIGAN and STEVE PEOPLES
Journal Staff Writers

WASHINGTON --

The Rhode Island Republican Party yesterday joined its Hawaii counterpart in filing a federal complaint charging Secretary of State and Senate candidate Matt Brown with organizing illegal contributions to his campaign.

State Chairwoman Patricia Morgan signed the complaint that asks the Federal Election Commission to investigate whether Brown's campaign "laundered" $25,000 in contributions through the state Democratic parties of Maine, Massachusetts and Hawaii.

The complaint, initiated by the Hawaii Republicans, relies largely on media reports about Brown's organization of two sets of donations: the $25,000 from the state parties to his campaign and $30,000 given to those Democratic groups from several Brown supporters -- all of whom had already hit the legal limit on contributions to his campaign.

Morgan said she signed the complaint because she thinks Brown engaged in illegal "earmarking" of contributions from the individuals through the party organizations. Brown's campaign said today he would not add to his previous statements that, although his maneuver may have created an appearance problem, he and his contributors did nothing wrong.

An FEC spokesman said yesterday that if the commission decides to investigate, the size of possible civil penalties would depend on whether any violations were "knowing and willful."

If not, the maximum penalty is the greater of $5,000 or the amount of money involved, said the FEC's George Smaragdid. If willful, the penalties increase to a minimum of 300 percent of the sum involved, he said.

jmulligan@belo-dc.com / (202) 661-8423

speoples@projo.com / (401) 277-7459

***

FROM THE SOURCE: Read the Hawaiian Republican Party's complaint against Secretary of State Matthew Brown, at:

http://projo.com/hawaiicomplaint