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The Ron Sparks gubernatorial campaign has not filed a statement with the Secretary of State office showing his candidacy’s principal campaign committee, according to the Secretary of State website. Alabama law requires a candidate to file the statement within 5 days of raising (or spending) $25,000 for the candidacy. Fundraising for this election cycle could begin on June 1.
The symbolism of Sparks’ fish fry fundraiser on the same day as Artur Davis’ big money NY fundraiser plays well for Sparks to a point, but he cannot pay for campaign ads with symbolism. It’s going to be a long row to hoe for the Agricultural Commissioner if he cannot begin to make up the huge financial advantage that his Democratic rival has. Davis is transferring over $1 million from his Congressional campaign to his gubernatorial campaign.
Bill Johnson is the only known GOP candidate who has not filed; news reports at the end of June indicated he was running for governor. Republicans Robert Bentley, Bradley Byrne, Kay Ivey, Tim James, and Roy Moore have all filed the statements.
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this guy is going no where. what i fear is artur will basically be un opposed and can save all his money for the general. meanwhile the GOPers will have a long hard and expensive primary fight – including a run off for the nomination. they will also, very likely, throw some real bombs at each other and thus damage each other. The GOP primary is famous for this and it is a shame. This is one reason Bright was successful – because the GOP damaged their own and caused massive spending in the primary fight. It left a damaged and much poorer candidate for the general election race. Let’s hope that does not happen in the Govs race.
Johnson was on WBHM this morning talking about his campaign, so I guess he’s really running.
It is amazing to me that Sparks has not met his threshold level of 25k. He has paid staffers, at least two that I know of, and he has at least two billboards up (I65 and 231). If he has exceeded his threshold and has not filed, his name will not be on the ballot for governor.
If he cannot raise 25,000 dollars, he clearly cannot run for Governor. Gubernatorial campaigns generally require about 14 million to wage. Obvious Sparks is irrelevant, and Davis is the clear choice.
Yep. Looks like Sparks will be the fish being fried.
Well, 2010 I would agree that the Republican has a VERY good chance of getting REALLY ugly.
I smell the ugliest since 1986.
Can Parlor lawyers tell us what the penalty would be if Sparks did in fact raise/spend $25K w/o filing the appropriate paperwork within 5 days?
FCPA: “A certifiate of election or nomination shall not be issued to any person …who shall fail to file any statement or report required by this chapter.”
Additionally, A candidate who violates a reporting requirement is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor. S 17-17-35(b).
His expenditures might not be a violation as he already has an active campaign committee for statewide office. The address listed on his campaign website is the same as that on his old campaign account.
This is probably enough to keep him from running into problems of the type Baudrillard suggests, and means that the only consequences would come if Davis wanted to make an issue of it. That’s not going to happen.
however: for a candidate trying to avoid an amateurish appearance, this doesn’t help.
Can’t say I’m surprised that Sparks hasn’t raised $25k with all those hushpuppie parties. I’ve been wondering how he can afford staff, billboards, etc.
But regardless of the $25k threshold, why wouldn’t he file if he were serious about running?
Double standard alert: Sparks blasted Davis for failing to file earlier in the year and used pretty strong language that Davis was deliberately violating the law. The law is clear, after 25,000 is raised or spent: Sparks has an office, staff, Matrix, billboards, signs, a website, and ALFA. That doesn’t count the ABD crowd, some of whom would give to Sparks just to spite Davis. No way he hasn’t raised or spent $25,000. (By the way, Ron, an in-kind contribution is still a contribution).
Not sure why Davis is quiet on this one: he could either nail Sparks as a liar or as the most inept candidate in the race. The Davis camp should be careful about Sparks lulling them asleep.
del – If Davis made an issue of it, all it would do is raise Sparks name id. He could have someone else file a complaint with the Secretary of State and/or AG. But why push it now? Would Davis really want some other candidate to run against him. The way it looks right now, he has a cake walk to the nomination.
I contacted Sec. State and if you have a principal campaign committee already established, you do not have to create another. With that said, he is running for a different slot and I would think he may want to update committee and position running for.
Sparks almost certainly has incurred at least $25k in expenses and the comment about the in-kind contributions is a valid point. Why would the Republican party not want to politely counsel with some of the Gov candidates to think about stepping out of the race to avoid a melt-down?
Allen in 14,
The Secretary of State’s office told me specifically that what you are saying is not true. An office-holder running for another office must file another statement listing the principal campaign committee. I was told, “Once you run for another office, that becomes another campaign, and you would have to file to list another principal campaign committee.”
If you would like a statement about that, you may call the SoS public relations office at 334 242 7228.
Danny
Looks like Ron Sparks heeded the Parlor’s reminder. He has filed a PCC statement with the SoS office, dated yesterday just like Danny’s post. See the Sparks PCC appointment form here.
sparks and his staff are apparently a bunch of morons.
Based on the filing, it appears as though there is no staff!?
Danny in 16. Go back and read my post. If you are running for the same position and have the same campaign committee you do not have to file again. You just carry on as usual and the first report due is in Jan. Now I did not give a definitive answer on when you run for a different slot. However, now we know by your post. Thank you.
Thanks, Allen. When you wrote, “I contacted Sec. State and if you have a principal campaign committee already established, you do not have to create another,” I did not know that you meant …you do not have to create another if you are running for the same position.” Glad for the clarification all the way around.
Stokes, I don’t see that the filing speaks to the matter of staff one way or another.
Thanks, mooncat! Very interesting…