Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Campaign Finance Enforcement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ethics commission adopts multiple consent decrees and fines in campaign-finance hearings
Summary
The commission approved consent decrees or findings in several campaign-finance matters, including: a consent decree and a $500 penalty in Complaint 788 (Patrick Schmidt), a $155 fine in Complaint 784 (treasurer Joshua Bardell), and a $155 fine in Complaint 785 (candidate Mark Lamas); staff were authorized to draft and sign final orders.
At the Nov. 20 meeting the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission heard a series of campaign-finance cases and adopted consent decrees and findings resolving multiple complaints.
Commissioner Christopher Berger presided over Complaint 788 (respondent Patrick Schmidt). The parties presented a proposed consent decree admitting facts that supported a violation for failure to include required paid-for disclaimers on campaign mailers. Commissioners discussed whether to adopt the liability finding and whether to incorporate the agreed fine amount into the order. The commission accepted the consent decree, incorporated the agreed penalty, and authorized staff to draft, finalize and serve the order.
Commissioner John Solbach presided over Complaint 784 (Joshua Bardell, treasurer). Counsel said a July receipts-and-expenditures report was filed late and the parties agreed to a fine calculation of $155 (the commission’s formula is $100 plus 5% of the total contributions). The commission adopted the consent agreement and recommended no further prosecution.
In Complaint 785 (Mark Lamas, candidate for Harvey County Treasurer) staff proffered that the July 29 local-level report was filed late; the commission found liability under the Campaign Finance Act, applied the election-sensitive guidance and calculated a $155 fine, then voted to adopt the findings and authorized staff to prepare the order.
Across the session commissioners emphasized the commission’s election-sensitive guidance (adopted in 2023) that affects how filing delays near elections are handled and the statutory fine formula used for local reports. Where appropriate, the commission also decided not to recommend further criminal prosecution.
For each consent decree the commission authorized staff to finalize documents and sign orders reflecting the findings and penalties; several commissioners asked staff to ensure reasoning and any required explanatory language are included in the finalized orders.
