Oops

Citing reporting by City Pulse, Byrum on July 8 sent a letter to Walt Sorg, chairman of Lansing Citizens for Ethics Reform. The group was pushing an amendment to the city’s ethics law that would have required, among other things, registering lobbyists and providing public campaign financing. The city clerk refused to validate the petition drive after the city attorney said the proposal violated state law and the City Charter.

In a letter to Sorg, Byrum said, “These actions, confirmed by you, have indicated to me that the formation of a Ballot Question Committee was necessary and that you have violated Michigan Campaign Finance Law by failing to form a Ballot Question Committee upon spending or receiving more than $500.00.”

Michigan campaign laws require that committees formed to influence votes for or against ballot initiatives must register with the state if they collect or expend over $500 in a calendar year. Dan Krassner, a spokesman for Represent.Us, confirmed to City Pulse that the organization had spent $25,000 paying a California firm to collect signatures to qualify the initiative for the November ballot.

The group now faces up to $300 in fines for violating the law, Byrum informed Sorg in her letter. The committee will also have to file campaign finance reports by July 27 or face additional fines and fees.

The ethics proposal organization quickly owned up to its mistake.

""Despite our best efforts, there were some small mistakes made in the paperwork filing process,” a statement from the committee said today. “They will be fully corrected by the end of the month, and the ballot committee will be officially dissolved."