County GOP fined for late financial filings

The Sussex County Republican Committee paid a fine of $1,954 to the state Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) earlier this month because of late filings of quarterly income and expenditures reports.

“Under New Jersey law, political committees are required to file quarterly reports detailing income and expenditures,” said committee chairman Joseph Labarbera.

“After my election as chairman in June 2023, it became clear that a small number of ELEC filings had been submitted late - some prior to the leadership transition and a few in the weeks that followed. These were administrative errors, and, once identified, were addressed directly.”

The five violations, cited by ELEC attorney Kelley Keane Dawes:

• $300 fine for a late filing of Form D-3.
• $300 fine for failure to file a notice designating deputy treasurer.
• $109.05 fine for late reporting of three expenditures totaling $1,090.48.
• $250 fine for failing to file 72-hour notice of one contribution in excess of $200 totaling $500.
• $1,475 fine for failing to file a 24-hour notice of four contributions in excess of $200 totaling $3,400.

“The recommended penalties above total $2,434.05,” Dawes wrote in a letter to the committee. “Should the penalty be paid in full or partial payment received prior to final decision action, the recommended penalty would further be reduced to $1,947.24.”

The committee paid the $1,947.24 fine July 2.