2016 Knox County Commission Candidate Violates Campaign Finance Rules and Law Right Out of the Block

John D King a former 2014 failed Republican challenger  (not to be confused with my friend John K. King) to Senator Lamar Alexander was first introduced as a candidate by the former Republican Chair at the Knox County Republican Party Reorganization in March. He was one of a couple dozen people that attended a campaign kickoff for Commissioner Jeff Ownby at the former Republican Chair’s house in March.

Last evening he attended the Center City Republican Club and said that his campaign website for a 2016 Knox County Commission candidacy had launched just a couple hours before the meeting. In addition, he passed out full color cards and full color lapel stickers. On the back of the card, it states “Paid for by King for Commission, Casey Mynatt – Treasurer”

Last night, I came home and searched the KnoxVotes website. No appointment of Treasurer has been published on the Knox County Election Commission website. In an effort to ensure there wasn’t a delay in posting a filing. I contacted the Knox County Election Commission Office. No committee “King for Commission”  has filed an appointment of Treasurer designation for anyone, specifically one Casey Mynatt.

Here is the information from the State of Tennessee Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance Website, located here.

PROSPECTIVE  CANDIDATES.  Any individual who receives contributions or makes expenditures (except for incidental expenditures) to determine if he or she will be a candidate for state or local public office is required to report to the appropriate agency. T.C.A. § 2-10-102(3)

ANNOUNCED  CANDIDATES.  Any individual who has made a formal announcement of his or her candidacy for a state or local elected public office or who has formally qualified to seek election to public office in a primary or general election in Tennessee is required to report to the appropriate agency.  T.C.A. § 2-10-102(3)

CANDIDATES FOR LOCAL PUBLIC OFFICE. Candidates or single-candidate political campaign committees involved in elections for local public offices (all offices not listed above as state public offices) must file all required reports with the election commission of the county or counties where the election will be held. T.C.A. § 2-10-105(b)

POLITICAL  CAMPAIGN  TREASURERS.  Before any monies can be received or spent, (except for incidental expenditures made by an individual to determine whether to be a candidate), each candidate must certify the name and address of its political treasurer to the Registry of Election Finance for a state election and to the county election commission for a local election.  This is accomplished by completing and filing an appointment of political treasurer statement.  T.C.A. § 2-10-102(3) and T.C.A. § 2-10-105(4)(e)(1)

A candidate may appoint himself or herself as the political treasurer for a campaign.  If a candidate appoints another person to act as political treasurer, the candidate must co-sign all reports required to be filed under the Campaign Financial Disclosure Act.  T.C.A. § 2-10-105(4)(e)(1)

CAMPAIGN  BANK  ACCOUNT.  A candidate must open and maintain a separate bank account into which all campaign contributions are to be deposited.  Additionally, all expenditures from campaign funds must be expended from this bank account.  Rule 0530-1-1-.01(1), Rule 0530-1-1-.02(1) and Rule 0530-1-1-.02(4)

If a person is a candidate for more than one public office, the candidate must maintain separate campaign bank accounts for each office sought. Rule 0530-1-3-.02(3)(a)

There are many other statutes that you can peruse at the website above that this candidate, his Treasurer and potentially any hired campaign consultants/managers/consultant assistants may have violated and continue to violate.

Again, last year this same individual ran unsuccessfully for Federal office. Last night, I examined his Federal filings and have discovered the below letter that was sent to his Treasurer at the time, which may be a family member.

Clearly, Mr. King appears to be the type of person that believes he is entitled to whatever he wants. Rules, Laws be damned. He will simply ignore them, he appears to surround himself with yes people that either do not bother to research the rules and laws or are too scared to tell him he is violating the rules and laws.

By the way, the former failed Republican candidate for Senate can not pick up a petition to run for Commission until 9/11/2015. Whether he can find 25 registered citizens in the district to sign a petition is still unknown at this time. Of course he has until 12/10/2015 at NOON to accomplish that task and then he has until 12/17/2015 at NOON to withdraw. However, as I understand the law anyone can file a sworn complaint against he, the treasurer with the TN Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance for this violation. Fines could be imposed and the District Attorney could also intervene (if requested).