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Election Central: Shelton’s Mayoral Campaign Promoted Illegally by Undisclosed PAC and Political Ally
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Woody Jenkins Accepted Illegal Ad for Shelton, But Rejected Legitimate Ad from Watts’ Campaign
Junior Shelton, who has announced he will again run for Mayor of Central in the 2014 election, had his unsuccessful 2010 bid for the city’s top post promoted by an advertisement in a political ally’s newspaper that was funded by an undisclosed PAC charged with breaking Louisiana Ethics Laws. The illegal PAC was eventually assessed $3,000 in fines and penalties for its prohibited promotion of Shelton’s candidacy.
Woody Jenkins, editor and publisher of the Central City News, printed an advertisement paid for by “Central Citizens for Good Government” on March 18, 2010, that promoted Shelton’s candidacy, along with a slate of candidates for other city government positions. However, at that time, there was no such organization filed with the Louisiana Ethics Administration as required by Louisiana law. Legitimate news organizations verify the validity of “paid for” sources prior to printing or broadcasting political advertisements.
But while agreeing to print a political advertisement from a non-existent PAC, Jenkins refused to print a legitimate ad from incumbent Mayor Mac Watt’s campaign. Watts’ advertisement compared the backgrounds and local involvement of the two candidates. The “Central Citizens for Good Government” advertisement Jenkins published in the same March 18 issue of his newspaper in which he refused to print Watt’s comparison ad identified Mike LeClerq of Box 78003, Central, La. 70837, as the source of the advertisement. However, Louisiana Campaign Finance records show no records of Mike LeClerq as ever registering such an organization.
The illegal ad promoted a political event featuring Shelton, which he attended. To date, Jenkins has not publicly addressed nor questioned the unethical aspects and questions of illegality surrounding the “Central Citizens for Good Government” ad and its funding sources. Nor has he questioned Shelton’s knowledge of the advertisement and his involvement with those behind it.
Shelton Supporters Violated Campaign Laws
Louisiana campaign finance laws require full disclosure of all political contributions by a declared political candidate and an organized political action committee (PAC). Persons who spend at least $500 to independently support or oppose a candidate or ballot proposition must register as a PAC with the Louisiana Ethics Administration, and they must adhere to all campaign reporting requirements. Such requirements include publicly identifying all contributors and the organization’s expenditures in advance of the election.
Shelton’s 2010 campaign finance records show no donations, monetary or in-kind, from LeClerq. Shelton’s 2010 campaign finance reports also do not list the “Central Citizens for Good Government” advertisement in the Central City News on March 18, 2010, as an in-kind donation. Legal PAC expenditures do not have to be cited by those candidates benefitting from these expenditures; however, at that time, “Central Citizens for Good Government” did not exist as a PAC, according to state campaign finance records.
Furthermore, Shelton did not document receiving the in-kind value of a political event at The Quarter that was organized by “Central Citizens for Good Government” and promoted in the March 18, 2010, newspaper advertisement. The advertisement encouraged the public to attend a “fun day” to “come meet OUR Candidates,” and it listed Shelton at the top of its endorsed list of candidates. Shelton attended the event.
Investigation of Shelton Supporters Results in $3,000 in Penalties
A state ethics investigation of the “Central Citizens for Good Government” political involvement in the 2010 Central mayoral campaign revealed that the alleged organization’s activity was in violation of campaign finance laws, and that it was subject to pay thousands of dollars in penalties. Furthermore, additional penalties could accrue if “Central Citizens for Good Government” did not file the proper reports with the state. In a January 10, 2011 letter from the Louisiana Board of Ethics the PAC was penalized $3,000 for its failure to register as a Political Action Committee.
According to the state’s campaign finance office, “Central Citizens for Good Government” filed a Statement of Organization form on Jan. 19, 2011 in reaction to the ethics board’s reprimand – nearly one full year after its involvement in the Central election. The same day, a Statement of Dissolution form was also filed with the Louisiana Campaign Finance Office, thereby creating the organization and dissolving it on the same day.
Also, according to state records, the dissolved “Central Citizens for Good Government” filed two campaign finance reports on Jan. 20, 2011 to retroactively account for its “30 Days Prior to Primary Election Report” and “10 Days Prior to Primary Election Report” for the March 27, 2010 election. These filings were made nearly one year after the time required under Louisiana law.
None of the state campaign finance documents identify LeClerq as the responsible party for the organization, although the advertisement in Jenkins’ newspaper identified LeClerq as such. To date, LeClerq’s actual involvement or level of support of the PAC or Shelton’s campaign remains a mystery. The campaign finance report for “Central Citizens for Good Government” does show a $25 contribution given on Feb. 24, 2010 from Mike LeClerq of 8867 Sully Drive, Central, La. 70818. That address is not the same as the one listed in the illegal advertisement.
Get All the Facts:
Documents cited in this article are available for public review at www.CentralSpeaks.com/Shelton and are all public records available at http://www.ethics.state.la.us/
Below: Illegal Ad promoting Junior Shelton published in the Central City News on March 18, 2010. Who paid for the "FREE Food", "Door Prizes" and "Space Walk" for this event remains a mystery, as neither Junior Shelton nor this Political Action Committee ever reported these as campaign expenditures or in-kind donations.
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