The SDGOP spin blog notes a couple dozen campaign committees that have still not filed their pre-general campaign finance reports, which were due October 22. Twelve of the delinquent committees are past Legislative candidates who did not appear on the 2018 general election ballot.
Powers jumps the gun on one delinquent, “Koch for SD”—had Powers checked the Campaign Finance Reporting System, he’d have found that John Koch checked in Friday to report zero income and zero expenditures since his last report on January 13, 2017.
2016 District 9 House candidate John Koch is not to be confused with 2018 District 19 House candidate John Charles Koch, who died on October 26. The latter’s treasurer and wife, Cheryl Koch, submitted his pre-general report two days before the deadline, on October 20, 2018, showing no campaign finance activity other than $25 in printing materials donated by Koch himself.
District 7 House candidate Zachary Kovach appears younger and healthier than either Koch, but as of this a.m.’s check of the CFR, Kovach has filed no campaign report since his April statement of organization. Kovach professed during his unsuccessful campaign that he “understands that working hard is the path to success, and he is willing to labor everyday to earn your vote,”
Now seven weeks late, Kovach’s continued violation of campaign finance law could cost him and his treasurer Alexis Dooley a Class 2 misdemeanor penalty of $500 and 30 days in jail (SDCL 12-27-29), a $200 civil penalty (SDCL 12-27-29.1), a bonus penalty of $250 and referral for prosecution (SDCL 12-27-29.4) to the incoming state’s attorney or attorney general, both of whom are hack Republicans eager to build their resumes by making examples of weak Democrats.
2018 District 19 candidate John C. Koch got his campaign finance report in a week before he died, and he had only $25 of his own expense to report. Kovach received at least $2,250 in real money, and he has done nothing to tell the public how he spent it and any other money he may have received. Get on the stick, Mr. Kovach!