WEEHAWKEN – The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission has made a complaint against Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner and his council members, alleging they made $32,000 above the $36,000 yearly allowable contribution limit dictated by election law in 2006, according to NJ.com.
The complaint alleges that the “Weehawken & You 2006 Re-Election Fund” made $8,000 and $60,000 donations to the “Weehawken & You Civic Association” and the “Weehawken & You Action Committee” respectively, which generated the overage.
The complaint also states that candidates who knowingly donate excessively can face penalties of up to $150,000.
Turner said Friday that he is unconcerned about the complaint, since he thought it had been resolved in 2007 and that the town has heard nothing from ELEC for five years — until Dec. 28 when the complaint was sent.
He said that in Nov. 2006, after running unopposed and spending little money on the campaign, he was advised by town attorneys and accountants to combine the funds from the re-election account with those from the ongoing political action committee.
Shortly thereafter, ELEC notified the town that they had combined the accounts too early (before Jan. 2007) and advised them to un-combine them, which they did.
Turner stated that ELEC sent them a letter shortly thereafter stating everything was fine.
“Frankly, after five years of absolutely no correspondence, I think they’ve got their paperwork a little mixed up,” Turner said.
He said he believes the town will most likely have to compile their records and correspondence in order to provide ELEC with what they need to fill in whatever they are missing. –Gennarose Pope