NC Board of Elections finds Stevens (R) campaign contributions illegal, but not intentional

An investigation by the North Carolina State Board of Elections found that two contributions by lobbyists to Rep. Sarah Stevens’ state Supreme Court campaign were illegal, but said they did not represent an “intentional violation.”

The board issued warning letters to the Stevens campaign as well as registered lobbyists Harold Brubaker and Andy Munn, who donated $6,800 and $1,500, respectively, according to a Jan. 9 notice obtained by NC Newsline. Those contributions have since been returned.

Under North Carolina law, it is illegal for lobbyists to donate to the campaigns of sitting state legislators. The unlawful donations were first reported by NC Newsline in August. Brubaker, a former North Carolina House speaker, claimed in a call with NC Newsline last year that the donation was “legal,” while Stevens argued it was not inappropriate because “he gave to me as a judicial candidate.”

Stevens, a Surry County Republican, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the findings by the board of elections.



https://ncnewsline.com/briefs/nc-board-of-elections-finds-stevens-campaign-contributions-illegal-but-not-intentional/