Top brass at the Massachusetts Democratic Party called on campaign finance regulators Tuesday to open an investigation into Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Kennealy for alleged “multiple violations” of state law connected to a series of over-the-limit donations in April.
MassDems Executive Director Adam Roof pointed to public data and recent Herald reporting that documented more than 50 contributions to Kennealy during the first weeks of his campaign that exceeded Massachusetts’ individual donation limit of $1,000 per calendar year.
“While the more than 50 violations as identified by their own records are inexcusable, we are also concerned that the solicitation materials and their pattern of practice used made specific requests of donors to cover processing fees, which would constitute additional violations,” Roof said in a letter to Office of Campaign and Political Finance Director William Campbell.
Kennealy’s campaign previously told the Herald that nine $2,000 donations and more than 40 $1,000-plus contributions he received last month were a result of donors covering credit card processing fees and couples contributing to his campaign in a single transaction.
But Roof said that explanation “does not negate the legal requirement to monitor, reject, or promptly refund contributions that exceed the statutory limit.”
“Even more concerning is that these violations occurred during the very first month of Mr. Kennealy’s campaign, indicating a disregard or lack of understanding of basic campaign finance Rules,” Roof said in the letter.
Logan Trupiano, a spokesperson for Kennealy, said “overages are a common occurrence” on political campaigns, Kennealy is “actively” refunding excess donations, and the campaign is in “full communication” with regulators to ensure compliance.
“The fact that the MassDems are trying to manufacture outrage over this routine matter only underscores one thing: they know Maura Healey is politically vulnerable and are desperate to distract from her failures,” Trupiano said in a statement to the Herald.
A spokesperson for the Office of Campaign and Political Finance declined to comment on the formal complaint from the Massachusetts Democratic Party and said the independent agency does not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation.
The Office of Campaign and Political Finance, the agency responsible for tracking and regulating political donations and spending, reviews every complaint it receives and, in some cases, closes an investigation administratively because no wrongdoing was found.
In other instances, regulators close cases informally with a public resolution letter, or a document where investigators outline a candidate’s missteps and the corrective actions taken. In more serious cases, the agency can refer a case to the Attorney General’s Office for criminal or civil action.
The nine individuals who donated $2,000 — or twice the legal limit — to Kennealy ranged from retirees to insurance executives and chief executive officers to farmers, according to state records.
The 40-plus people who donated over $1,000 but less than $2,000 spanned teachers, executives, investors, and hotel owners, according to state data. Many donated $1,041.02, which Kennealy’s campaign attributed to donors covering credit card processing fees.
State campaign finance records show Kennealy used WinRed as his fundraising platform of choice. The company is endorsed by the Republican National Committee as a necessary product for Republicans and was launched to compete with Democrats’ ActBlue system.
A spokesperson for WinRed did not immediately respond to a Herald inquiry.
The excess donations helped Kennealy raise more than $311,000 last month, though a majority of that cash was pulled in through $200,000 Kennealy loaned his campaign. He previously pledged to seed his gubernatorial bid with $2 million of his personal wealth.
In the letter to state campaign finance regulators, Roof said the public deserves transparency and “assurance” that candidates seeking Massachusetts’ highest office are adhering to the law.
Roof asked regulators to review the Kennealy campaign’s financial activity, including donor solicitation and processing procedures, internal compliance oversight, and the timeliness and completeness of all refunds.
In an interview with the Herald, Roof said the Massachusetts Democratic Party hopes regulators will probe not just the dollar amount of the donations but “the methods used to facilitate those … donations.”
“Campaigning isn’t just about what you say in the stump or in your direct mail or emails, it’s about how you manage your campaign. So if your campaign operation fails to meet the bare minimum, then the voters should know that,” Roof said.