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NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. — Democratic state representative candidate Danielle Gregoire said in a response to accusations from a conservative fiscal watchdog group that she has paid all state fines for missing campaign finance deadlines.
According to the Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF), Gregoire missed the deadline for filing her campaign finance reports three times. She was one day late in January 2011, eight days late in July 2011 and one day late in January 2012. The office charges a $25 fine for each day a candidate is late, resulting in a $250 total for Gregoire.
The OCPF sent Gregoire a total of 15 letters — five notices for each missed deadline — notifying her of the outstanding debt, according to OCPF spokesperson Jason Tait.
In addition, the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance sent Gregoire a letter on Oct. 11 requesting that she pay the debt. "We strongly believe that candidates running for public office and former elected officials should repay debts owed to the state they are striving to serve," the letter read.
The Alliance bills itself on its website as an "independent, non-partisan, non-profit" organization, but its leadership is composed of three men who are longtime Republican activists and office-holders: Richard Green, Paul D. Craney and Jim Rappaport. Rappaport is the former state Republican Party chairman and Craney is the former executive director of the District of Columbia Republican Committee.
Gregoire said that she was not made aware of the debt until quite recently, and added that she immediately sought to resolve it.
"I asked them if I could pay it over the phone," Gregoire said. When she could not, she added, she mailed the payment on Friday. Tait said that the OCPF had not received the payment as of Tuesday afternoon.
Though she admitted to paying the debt with campaign committee funds — which the OCPF does not allow — Gregoire said that she would reimburse the campaign with her own money.
Gregoire, a former state representative who held the 4th Middlesex District seat from 2008–2010, is challenging its current occupant, Republican Steven Levy. The district encompasses parts of Marlborough, Westborough and Northborough.
Comments (2)
When the story first broke, she claimed "I knew nothing about these fines but I took care of it immediately". Here we are a week later and payment still has not been received. Now she claims to have paid with campaign funds which is not allowed - and OCPF claims they still haven't received it. Who do you believe? How does she expect anyone to believe that she did not see any of the 15 letters that were mailed to her home address? The first fine was due 19 months ago, the 2nd 13 months ago and the 3rd 7 months ago. But only when it hits the newspaper can she be bothered to pay the money she owes the state.
She lies about being a practicing attorney when she's really a waitress at 131 Prime Grill in Wayland. She reported no income from a law practice in 2011 but reported $5,000 income from 131 Prime on her Statement of Financial Interest. So she either lied on her SFI or she's lying to the voters about her vocation.
She lies to voters when she tries to convince them that she is independent, and a fiscal conservative, and will work to develop small business and jobs. In 2008 she was a DEMOCRAT in every sense of the word. It showed up on her signs and website and literature. In 2010 the word disappeared and she claimed "I could just as easily be a registered Republican". She's wants to be chamelion and change her persona with the political climate. But a tiger can't change its stripes and her voting record from 2009-10 (not 2008 - another lie) proves that she is in the Speaker's pocket.
She voted to raise taxes by ONE BILLION DOLLARS, she voted to cut local aid, she voted against tansparency and accountability and ethics reforms. She was more concerned with a company manufacturing a "homeless" doll and transgender bathroom rights than the economy and jobs and taxes. There is a reason she was voted out after just one term.
Danielle is nothing but a lying political hack. She will say anything to get elected and that includes lying. She even told a mutual friend "I will do whatever it takes to win - even cheat!" The citizens of Massachusetts deserve better.
She paid a fine to the Office of Political & Campaign Finance using funds not allowed, thereby risking another fine? I guess the rules don't apply to her - files late, ignores 13 letters from OCPF, pays the fine after it hits the news but pays it illegally with campaign funds! Impressive!