UPDATE: Ben Anderson, the Chair of the Greenbrier County Republican Executive Committee issues statement on a complaint filed.
“A finance report was due on Friday, October 23rd. Our treasurer resigned due to health issues on the 21st. We have been in close contact with the Secretary Of State office, and they know that due to those circumstances, the report was filed with the knowledge an amended report would be filed a few days later. The GCREC filed its report on time and the amended report should be available on the SOS website by this evening. Amended reports are common, and all of our reports are completed with direct communication with the SOS.”
LEWISBURG, WV (WOAY) – This morning, Paul Detch, the chair of the Greenbrier County Democratic Executive committee filed a campaign finance complaint against Ben Anderson, the chair of the Greenbrier County Republican Executive committee, and its current and former treasurers, Amanda Reed and A. Faye Dunford.
“Filings by the treasurers included over $15,000 in anonymous donations, labeled “various supporters” in violation of campaign finance rules which require that the name of every single donor be listed.
Further, he sent copies of 14 separate Facebook ads, with payment attributed to the Executive committee, which have never been reported. A well attended fundraiser by the committee on October 11, which was billed as “the largest fundraiser in Greenbrier GOP history” was also not reported, despite advertisements for an entrance fee, live music, an auction filled with donated items, and merchandise for sale.
This information is publicly available at the West Virginia Secretary of State’s website,
sos.wv.gov Go to the online campaign finance reporting system and look up the Greenbrier
County Republican Executive Committee by clicking on “view all State Political Party/Caucus
Campaign Committees”.
Campaign finance laws were passed in order to protect the transparency and integrity of
elections, so that voters know where the money used to support candidates and their political beliefs originates. Unfortunately, the Greenbrier County Republican Executive Committee has chosen to ignore the law and tarnish that transparency.
A consequence of these sorts of violations, besides possible fines, is the loss of the unaccounted for money to the General Fund of the State of West Virginia. It is regrettable that donors who thought their donations would help further their candidates and their political beliefs will be lost, along with their trust.” From Paul Detch
