It seems like a million years ago, but remember those complaints filed by Right Size Newton alleging campaign law violations against Mayor Fuller and the city? Well the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance has issued the results of its investigations.
State election office rules on Northland-related complaints
by village14 | Apr 16, 2020 | Newton | 9 comments
TL;DR: Nothing to see here, please move on.
And you couldn’t just summarize the ruling here for us?
“OCPF has determined that your actions in meeting with EOHED officials regarding the Northland Development, your follow-up email to EOHED officials asking for their support of the project, and the appearances with state officials at multiple events in the City were consistent with the provisions of the campaign finance law. “
The one minor slap on the wrist was:
…the email urging voters to support the special permit … was not consistent with the prohibition against the use of public resources to influence an election …. However, because … the City took remedial measures before being contacted by OCPF, including removing the problematic sentence from the email before posting the email to the City’s website, no further action is required at this time.
Three issues were discussed. For the last two, the Mayor was completely exonerated. For the first, it was a bit murkier. There, her actions were not found to be sufficiently wrong to require any penalty but she was taken a bit to task.
I am all for Northland and very supportive of the Mayor. The first and third comments above though are rather incomplete. By “hiding” or perhaps better stated as “selecting” the truth, these comments only serve to provide fodder for those on the other side. A better approach would be to honestly present all of the facts noting that in the end, whatever was wrong was of no consequence.
@Elmo – I didn’t mean to be misleading, was just lazy. I skimmed and assumed what it said at the end was the summary. Mea culpa.
Elmo — They point out that city hall was in the wrong, but that they ceased the behavior and remediated it in the archived newsletter. If behavior has persisted once noted, it wouldn’t have been treated as inconsequential. So those that complained were not overreacting and were correct to do so.
OCPF is very approachable and has a strong focus on education and helping people get these often ambiguous things right.
Thanks @Greg. It does seem like a million years ago.
The OCPF language right before the ‘remedial measures’ comment speaks to the education focus @Jack mentioned. Here it is for quick reference…
“However, because we believe the guidance provided as a result of this review will ensure future compliance with the campaign finance law…no further action is required.”
Just a thought…has Greg ever posted on V14 that is not more than 1 or 2 degrees of separation from his job as President of the Newton Needham Chamber?
Mix it up, brother! Pick another topic. You’re a journalist by trade, right? 🙂
Be well, one and all.