Minnesota Report
Today, the three-judge panel in the Office of Administrative Hearing Gubernatorial Candidate Mike Lindell (Guilty) of violating Campaign Finance Law Statute 211B.13. The court ruled to fine Lindell a pittance of $600, which on its face is no discouragement of others following suit.
This mere slap on the wrist warrants a significant shoring-up of this statute if the original intent is to be maintained and elevated. A well-spelled-out fine structure put in place to prevent any such occurrence from ever happening again
211B.13 BRIBERY, TREATING, AND SOLICITATION.
Subdivision 1.Bribery, advancing money, and treating prohibited.
A person who willfully, directly or indirectly, advances, pays, gives, promises, or lends any money, food, liquor, clothing, entertainment, or other thing of monetary value, or who offers, promises, or endeavors to obtain any money, position, appointment, employment, or other valuable consideration, to or for a person, in order to induce a voter to refrain from voting, or to vote in a particular way, at an election, is guilty of a felony. This section does not prevent a candidate from stating publicly preference for or support of another candidate to be voted for at the same primary or election. Refreshments of food or nonalcoholic beverages having a value up to $5 consumed on the premises at a private gathering or public meeting are not prohibited under this section.
But they did not, even consider Subsection 2.
Subd. 2.Certain solicitations prohibited.
A person may not knowingly solicit, receive, or accept any money, property, or other thing of monetary value, or a promise or pledge of these that is a disbursement prohibited by this section or section 211B.15.
211B.15 CORPORATE POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS.
Subd. 6.Penalty for individuals.
(a) An officer, manager, stockholder, member, agent, employee, attorney, or other representative of a corporation acting on behalf of the corporation who violates this section is subject to a civil penalty of up to ten times the amount of the violation, but in no case more than $10,000, imposed by the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board under chapter 10A or imposed by the Office of Administrative Hearings under this chapter.
(b) Knowingly violating this section is a crime. An officer, manager, stockholder, member, agent, employee, attorney, or other representative of a corporation acting in behalf of the corporation who is convicted of knowingly violating this section may be fined not more than $20,000 or be imprisoned for not more than five years, or both.
Subd. 7.Penalty for corporations.
(a) A corporation that violates this section is subject to a civil penalty of up to ten times the amount of the violation, but in no case more than $10,000, imposed by the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board under chapter 10A or imposed by the Office of Administrative Hearings under this chapter.
(b) Knowingly violating this section is a crime. A corporation convicted of knowingly violating this section is subject to a fine not greater than $40,000. A convicted domestic corporation may be dissolved as well as fined. If a foreign or nonresident corporation is convicted, in addition to being fined, its right to do business in this state may be declared forfeited.
Here is the court ruling. Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Order