Kilili cited for late filing of campaign finance report

The Federal Election Commission has cited Delegate-elect Gregorio Kilili Sablan’s campaign committee for failing to file a financing disclosure report on time.

But the committee says the deficiency has been corrected and the committee was not penalized for the late filing.

The FEC issued citations to sixteen campaign committees, including Sablan’s committee, after failing to receive Sablan’s pre-election report by Oct. 31, 2008. The reports were due on Oct. 23, 2008, and should have included financial activity for the period Oct. 1, 2008, through Oct. 15, 2008.

Edward H. Manglona, treasurer for the Committee to Elect Gregorio Kilili Sablan for Delegate, said, “There was confusion with the deadline of when the report needed to be filed, however, as soon as the matter came to the committee’s attention, the proper form was filled out and sent promptly. The Federal Election Commission did send out a notice of failure to file, however, since the report was received, there has been no other communication from the FEC and the committee was not fined for the late filing.”

He added that the report was sent by certified mail because Sablan’s spending did not reach the minimum amount to qualify for electronic filing. “In order to qualify to file report electronically, a candidate must have spent over a certain amount during his bid to a federal office. The amount of monies Kilili’s campaign expended during the election did not meet the minimum requirement in order for his committee to qualify for e-filing his campaign financing report. Kilili spent significantly less than the mandatory minimum.”

According to the FEC website, any committee that receives contributions or makes expenditures over $50,000 in the current calendar year, or that has reason to expect to do so, must submit its reports electronically.

Some individuals and their committees have no obligation to file reports under federal election law, even though their names may appear on state ballots. If an individual raises or spends less than $5,000, he or she is not considered a “candidate” subject to reporting under the Act.

The FEC notified committees involved in this primary of their potential filing requirements on Sept. 29, 2008. Those committees who did not file on the due date were notified on Oct. 24, 2008, that reports had not been received and that their names would be published if they did not respond within four business days.

Other political committees that support Senate and House candidates in elections, but are not authorized units of a candidate’s campaign, are also required to file quarterly reports, unless they report monthly. Those committee names are not published by the FEC.