Board grants and denies several campaign-finance appeals, forgiving multiple penalties

The Virginia State Board of Elections heard multiple campaign-finance penalty appeals and issued four dispositions during the June meeting.

Locally assessed appeals: The board granted full relief of a $200 fine to a Lynchburg candidate identified in the record as Eli Rebony (also described as "aka Sean Hunter") after staff found the late filing resulted from miscommunication with the Lynchburg registrar. The petitioner told the board he "followed my local registrar's advice" and described trying in good faith to resolve paperwork and signatures; staff recommended forgiveness and the board voted to grant relief.

The board considered a second locally assessed appeal by Francis Jacobson (Newport News) involving a $500 penalty tied to statement-of-organization filings. Staff described a rejected copy and complications closing a previously opened committee; Newport News registrar Vicki Lewis explained she believed Jacobson's filing was complete until the department notified her of an outstanding open committee. The board voted to grant partial relief and reduced the assessment to $100.

State-assessed appeals: The board reviewed a continued petition for Friends of Andy Pitman, a $1,000 state-assessed penalty for a missed January 15 report. The petitioner provided medical documentation related to severe family illness; staff recommended relief and the board granted full relief.

A separate state-assessed petition by NextGen Leadership PAC for a $1,000 penalty was dismissed for failure to appear. Staff reported the committee had not logged into the filing system during the filing period, had received reminder emails and did not provide evidence of timely filings; the board dismissed the appeal as recommended.

Each disposition was moved, seconded and decided by recorded roll call votes recorded in the meeting.