APOC Drops $91,500 In Fines On Three Assembly Candidates

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The Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC) staff is recommending the agency drop the hammer on three candidates from last spring’s Anchorage Assembly elections, issuing fines totaling $91,500. On August 1st, Terre Gales, Adam Trombley, and Treg Taylor all received fines of over $1,000 according to documents from the state agency that monitors campaign finance laws.

All of the infractions for the group stem from late reporting of donations in the final days of their campaigns. During the final 9 days of any campaign, candidates are required to disclose to APOC within 24 hours any donation of $250 or more. If that isn’t done, candidates face fines up to $500 a day until the donation is reported.

Taylor and Trombley failed to disclose donations during that period but did on their final campaign reports, known as 105-day reports, which are filed months after the campaigns are over. APOC then fined the candidates $500 per day, per violation, from the time donations should have been reported until their 105-day reports came in. As is evident from the fine totals, that adds up quickly.

By far the heaviest of the fines went to Taylor, who is facing a $57,000 penalty. APOC claims he was one day late in disclosing two of his donations, and 112 days late with another. That 112-day late report, which appears to be a $1000 donation from the Anchorage Home Builders Association PAC, is the source of the bulk of the fine at $56,000.

Trombley was hit with a $33,500 fine for reporting a single donation 67 days late. Like with Taylor’s fine, Trombley’s is also related to a $1000 contribution from the Anchorage Home Builders Association PAC that came in the final week of the campaign.

Compared to Trombley and Taylor, Gales’ fine is a paltry $1,000. He disclosed all of his donations before the election but was two days late in reporting one batch of contributions from individuals totaling $1,300.

All three former candidates can appeal either the findings of APOC’s staff or the penalty amount within 30 days. If they do, they will be given an opportunity to present their side to the full APOC board, who will be the final judge of the facts and the fine to be imposed.