UPDATE: Re-elected O’Fallon Councilman Rick Lucas fined for violating campaign finance rules
UPDATE: O’Fallon Councilman Rick Lucas paid his $980 fine last week and is now eligible to be sworn in.
PREVIOUS POST FROM APRIL 8:
Lucas, who defeated two challengers in Tuesday’s election to retain his seat in Ward 2, has been fined at least $980 for failing to file campaign finance disclosure reports.
Councilman Rick Lucas, Ward 2
“It’s my fault,” Lucas said in a telephone interview Wednesday night. “I should have been responsible enough to get (the reports) in.”
Lucas said he switched treasurers during his campaign and didn’t keep his new treasurer well informed about donations and filing deadlines.
“I got caught up in the stresses of the campaign,” Lucas said.
Lucas said his campaign donations totaled about $1,300, including support from former Republican state representative Vicki Schneider and others.
“It wasn’t like I was trying to hide anything,” he said.
Lucas was fined $300 per outstanding report plus $10 per day for missing last month’s filing. Lucas said he would pay the fine Thursday with his own money and not with campaign donations.
Rich Chrismer, St. Charles County director of elections, said Lucas’ violations do not annul his reelection victory. However, Chrismer said, Lucas cannot legally be sworn in until he pays his fines.
The state’s ethics commission does not levy fines against electoral candidates in cities with populations fewer than 100,000 people because those candidates are only required to file with local elections authorities.
(3 votes, average: 4.67 out of 5)
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Investment tips - Do not invest in the following:
1. GM Stock
2. Bob Lowery’s career at O’Fallon
Both are about to be bankrupt.
D’OH!
Double D’OH!
…
980 D’OH!
At least he didn’t advertise “honesty” or “integrity” on his signs. Speaking of signs… Kevin Speis (who lost by 10 votes) had 25-30 signs STOLEN two days before the election. I WONDER WHAT UPSTANDING CITY COUNCILMAN THAT COULD HAVE BEEN??? Congrats Rick Lucas, you un-organized, non-transparent, theiving, politically incompetent official. O’fallon should be SO PROUD after all the infighting and problems in city hall…this is the type of politician they elect.
Aw, schucks guys, just give me a break. I am not smart enough to know how to follow the rules. WOW, has this gotten old in O’Fallon.
Who in their right mind would hire Lowery? I can’t imagine anyone wants to put up with the dishonesty and political backstabbing. Is daddy going to have to bring him back?
Day one. Here we go again! Hennessy’s boys, Renaud’s boys - what’s the diff?
I love it! “Day one, here we go again”. It’s so easy for us to sit back & criticise others. Thank goodness we have those who are willing to step up to the plate & run an election & hold a public office to try & make a difference for those in our community. My hat goes out to each & every one of them. I don’t think they are making millions!
That’s why you vote! If the people who have been elected don’t make the decisions that your think they should ………………then Vote! I think it’s only fair to give them a chance…….at least more than a day!
I know Joel reads the blog so maybe he can comment on why this story was posted the day after the election instead of the day before. I gaurentee that Rick’s 10 vote victory would not have happened if this story was posted on 4/6 instead of 4/8. I do think Rick made a simply mistake and it’s not the end of the world but with such a small margin of victory it would have changed the election if it was posted 2 days earlier. Seems like a little “hold for Hennessy” from Currier.
Will some one please tell Robert Lowery and Kevin O’Keefe that their party and stay at City Hall is over, it is now time to pack their bags, move out of OUR City Hall and get away from our City. They are Wannabe Muni-MORONS that only know how to destroy and destruct. Both Lowery and O’Keefe are evil mean spirits in our City Hall and need to be told to pack their bags as their Morrow Slumber Party in Winghaven is done and has expired! We need great leadership in a City Administrator and City Attorney and the day of wannbe officals of lining their own pockets and personal agenda has come to a final end. Thank Heavens!!!
Wake up poeple!!! Bob isn’t going anywhere. Hennessy doesn’t have the votes to get rid of him. They HAD 6 votes until Perkins and Lucas flipped. Assuming Bill pulls them back on the reservation he now needs 5 votes to fire Lowery. Conley and Gardner have never suppported it so Bill needs 5 of the remaining 6. Howell was elected by labor so he isn’t going to vote for it. So Bill needs the other 5 and I hear 1 is having second thoughts because he was screwed over by the group last time around. So as I see it the only way Lowery leaves is if he writes his own ticket out of here.