Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long is receiving criticism from voters and opponents after it was revealed that some of her campaign donations were not above board.
Gubernatorial Candidate in Hot Water
In a blow to her campaign for Delaware’s highest office, current lieutenant governor Bethany Hall-Long has been accused of skirting campaign finance rules.
Money Troubles
According to a local investigative news report, Hall-Long accepted upwards of $25,000 in donations that exceeded limits set by the state, and has $91,000 in unaccounted campaign funds that were evidently given to her husband.
Delaware Campaign Donation Laws
Delaware law requires that no more than $1,200 per donor be given to any political candidate. But Hall-Long has reportedly received donations in excess of that limit from individuals as well as political action committees.
Hall-Long Issues Luke-Warm Response
When asked to address the issue, Hall-Long issued a statement discussing how her office planned to handle the excessive donations.
“Donations Over the Limit Happen”
“Donations over the limit happen in many major federal and statewide campaigns across the country where they refund their donors,” Hall-Long wrote.
“My Campaign Has Procedures in Place”
“My campaign has procedures in place to address overages and we’ve taken those same steps to ensure refunds are issued accordingly which will be reflected in our upcoming campaign finance report.”
Other Candidates Voice Concerns
Despite her insistence that the refunds are being resolved internally, Hall-Long’s opponents are not satisfied that she has taken the issue seriously enough.
Meyer Accuses Hall-Long of Lying
Matt Meyer, who is running against Hall-Long for governor, went as far as to accuse the lieutenant governor of lying or attempting to hide illegal activities.
A Shady Financial History
This is not the first time Hall-Long has been under pressure to explain suspicious campaign finance practices. Last year, hundreds of thousands of dollars were seemingly unaccounted for when staffers realized the funds had been issued to Hall-Long’s husband in unexplained payments.
Staff Members Resign Following Concerns of Financial Mismanagement
The candidate said that these payments resulted from loans that she had given to her own campaign and insisted that the books had been corrected to reflect the accurate movement of funds. But some staffers were unsatisfied and ultimately left their jobs on the gubernatorial campaign.
Hall-Long Promised to Outsource Money Management
After this issue caught the public’s eye, Hall-Long faced pressure to ensure that her campaign finances were properly managed going forward. At the time, she said she was hiring “experts in the field” to manage campaign funds.
Donors Deny Wrongdoing
The donors behind the excessive contributions were asked about their donations, and they all said that they did not realize there were applicable limits.
Candidates Should Keep Track of Limits, Say Donors
Most said they relied on candidates to whom they donate to keep that information straight, and would be expecting refunds for the overages from Hall-Long’s office.
No Charges to Be Filed
While the report points to activity that is considered illegal, the state elections chief and attorney general say they will not pursue legal action. Hall-Long will also not be subject to any fines or other consequences as a result of the mismanaged funds.
Are the Laws Too Vague?
Kathy Jennings, Delaware’s Attorney General, blamed the nature of the law for being too vague to support any action in this case. She said it would be too easy to argue that the issue resulted from a simple mistake rather than willful mismanagement.
“We Cannot Pursue Charges”
“We cannot pursue charges where the law does not provide the standards to do so; but neither should we abide a precedent that flouts the spirit of the law when committees demonstrate negligence,” said Jennings.
Delaware’s Campaign Finance Laws “Beg for Reform,” Says AG
“That Delaware’s campaign finance laws are unclear enough to permit those inadequacies — not just of this campaign, but theoretically of any — tells me that they beg for reform,” Jennings continued.
Attorney General to Push for Law Modifications
In her statement, the Attorney General promised to work on amending the laws in such a way that would protect donated campaign funds going forward.
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