Alabama: congressional candidate spent state campaign funds on federal election
AP reports: Alabama state Sen. Harri Anne Smith spent nearly $20,000 from her state campaign account last year on polling and political consulting in her bid for federal office to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Terry Everett, a violation of federal election rules.
Smith, a Republican from Slocomb, said she was not aware of laws prohibiting the mingling of state campaign funds in federal elections and that she immediately contacted the Federal Election Commission to fix the error once she discovered it.
She filed new finance reports with the state and the FEC last month to properly account for the spending.
"We found the mistake and we did everything in our power to correct it," she said in an interview. "The rules are there for people who are intentionally trying to circumvent the law, and that was never our intent. It was just a procedural mistake." -- AP NewsBreak: Ala. state senator mingled state, federal funds - NewsFlash - al.com