Regulators: Murray may have violated campaign finance law

BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com) – State regulators say Mass. Lt. Gov. Tim Murray may have violated campaign finance laws.

According to a letter sent to Mass. Attorney General Martha Coakley's office by the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, Murray, as well as Michael McLaughlin and James McNichols, violated fundraising laws.

The letter says Murray, his campaign and McLaughlin did not comply with a law prohibiting "the solicitation or receipt of contributions not raised in accordance with the campaign finance law."

Scott Ferson, Murray's campaign spokesman, released a statement regarding the alleged improprieties saying, "The Murray Committee never authorized Michael McLaughlin to do any fundraising on its behalf. Neither the media nor any regulatory agency has ever identified any fact indicating that the Murray Committee authorized McLaughlin to engage in this activity. We continue to fully cooperate with any authorities looking into this matter."

McLaughlin and McNichols were also cited as having not complied with laws prohibiting political fundraising by public employees and political fundraising in public buildings.

"The lieutenant governor asked for this investigation by OCPF and has fully cooperated and wants to get to the bottom of it. If somebody did something and a contribution should be returned we want to know that. What we know from yesterday is that Mike McLaughlin deceived a lot of people and no one is more upset by his behavior than the lieutenant governor," Ferson told the StateHouseNews.com.

Fox 25's Sharman Sacchetti reached out to the attorney general's office for comment. They said that because an investigation is ongoing they couldn't comment at this time.

Murray announced last week that he would not run for governor of Massachusetts in 2014.

McLaughlin, 67, was charged Wednesday with four counts of falsifying a record in a federal agency matter with intent to impede and obstruct that matter.

Federal officials claim McLaughlin concealed and falsified entries in records and documents including in the annual fiscal year budgets of the Chelsea Housing Authority between 2008 and 2011. They contend that he stated his annual salary was $151,945 when it was at least $242,908.
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Violations of the section of the campaign finance law that prohibits the solicitation or receipt of contributions not raised in accordance with the law can be punished by a prison sentence of up to six months or a maximum fine of $500.

BOSTON (MyFoxBoston.com) – State regulators say Mass. Lt. Gov. Tim Murray violated campaign laws.

According to a letter sent to Mass. Attorney General Martha Coakley's office by the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, Murray, as well as Michael McLaughlin and James McNichols, violated fundraising laws.

The letter says Murray, his campaign and McLaughlin did not comply with a law prohibiting "the solicitation or receipt of contributions not raised in accordance with the campaign finance law."

McLaughlin and McNichols were also cited as having not complied with laws prohibiting political fundraising by public employees and political fundraising in public buildings.

Scott Ferson, Murray's spokesperson told StateHouseNews.com that, "The lieutenant governor asked for this investigation by OCPF and has fully cooperated and wants to get to the bottom of it. If somebody did something and a contribution should be returned we want to know that. What we know from yesterday is that Mike McLaughlin deceived a lot of people and no one is more upset by his behavior than the lieutenant governor."

McLaughlin, 67, was charged Wednesday with four counts of falsifying a record in a federal agency matter with intent to impede and obstruct that matter.

Federal officials claim McLaughlin concealed and falsified entries in records and documents including in the annual fiscal year budgets of the Chelsea Housing Authority between 2008 and 2011. They contend that he stated his annual salary was $151,945 when it was at least $242,908.

Cox Media Group