…Or so thinks Ben Ysursa’s office! Over the course of the last 6 days we have had Chuckle Fans make inquiries regarding the duty of The Strategery Group, Inc. to file a Sunshine Report. The Secretary of State’s office made it perfectly clear that there was NO EXEMPTION for a corporation with regard to filing a Sunshine Report.
We can read! We read the Sunshine Manual published by The Secretary of State and here’s what we found…
The statute says that the purpose of the Sunshine law is:
67-6601. PURPOSE OF ACT. The purpose of this act is: (a) To promote public confidence in government; and (b) To promote openness in government and avoiding secrecy by those giving financial support to state election campaigns and those promoting or opposing legislation or attempting to influence executive or administrative actions for compensation at the state level. [Init. Measure 1974, No. 1, § 1; S.L. 2006, Ch. 106]
67-6602. DEFINITIONS. As used in this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:
(a) “Candidate” means an individual who has taken affirmative action to seek nomination or election to public office.
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(o) “Person” means an individual, corporation, association, firm, partnership, committee, political party, club or other organization or group of persons.
(p) “Political committee” means: (1) Any person specifically designated to support or oppose any candidate or measure; or (2) Any person who receives contributions and makes expenditures in an amount exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) in any calendar year for the purpose of supporting or opposing one (1) or more candidates or measures.
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67-6603. APPOINTMENT OF POLITICAL TREASURER. (a) Each candidate and political committee shall appoint a political treasurer and certify the full name and complete address of the political treasurer to the Secretary of State. A political treasurer so appointed shall be a registered elector of this state. An individual may be appointed and serve as political treasurer for a candidate and a political committee or two (2) or more candidates or political committees. A candidate may appoint himself his own political treasurer.
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(c) No contribution shall be received or expenditure made by or on behalf of a candidate or political committee:
(1) until the candidate or political committee appoints a political treasurer and certifies the name and address of the political treasurer to the Secretary of State, or in the event of a vacancy in the office of political treasurer, has certified the name and address of the successor as provided therin [therein]; and (2) unless the contribution is received or expenditure made by or through the political treasurer for the candidate or political committee. [Init.Measure 1974, No. 1, § 3] (all emphasis ours)
So…is The Strategery Group, Inc. a “political committee”? By the words of the statute, YES!
Did they designate a Treasurer? By our investigation, NO!
Is there an exemption in the law for Strategery? According to the Secretary of State, NO!
They why would the Secretary of State send this communication to Kootenai County Clerk Cliff Hayes?
—– Forwarded Message —-
Cliff,
The Strategery Group, Inc. is a business consulting firm that also coordinates and does political advertising for various clients. They are not a PAC, but someone who is hired by a PAC or candidate to do run or advise a campaign. PACs and candidates are required to report their contributions and expenditures under the campaign finance reporting portion of the Sunshine Law. The amount paid to The Strategery Group, Inc., operating as a consultant for a campaign is reported by the candidate or campaign that hired them but they are not required to file reports under the Sunshine Laws.
Tim
OH REALLY, TIM! Out of what black hole did you pull that?
So “Tim” at the Secretary of States office, how do you know what Strategery is and does? Did you just ask them? Do you trust them? Hmmmmm!
Where is the exemption in the law for “Business Consulting” firms to be exempt from filing Sunshine Reports?
So, “Tim”, is it the official positon of the Secretary of State of Idaho that anyone can start a “Business Consulting” firm, collect and spend, thousands and thousands of dollars “supporting or opposing candidate(s) or Measure(s)” and not have to file a Sunshine Report?
‘Cause if that’s the case “Tim”, we’re gonna go into that business right now! (By the way, are you a lawyer?)
We’ll make a fortune “consulting” candidates (apparently even to support or oppose candidates and mesures), taking their money and hiding it so that no one knows where it came from and where it went! Hey “Tim”, go the top of this post and read the “Purpose of The Act”!
Give us a break…are we really that STUPID Idaho?
Hey Cliff Hayes, don’t give up so easy! They’ll leave egg on your face and laugh the whole way to the bank!
STRATEGERY ACCOUNTABILITY NOW!
STRATEGERY ACCOUNTABILITY NOW!
STRATEGERY ACCOUNTABILITY NOW!
STRATEGERY ACCOUNTABILITY NOW!
