Records show Tony Kurtz previously violated campaign finance laws in failed Congressional bid

Contact: Doug Hyant, (608) 258 9225, Doug@AssemblyDemocrats.com

 

MADISON –As candidates across Wisconsin filed campaign reports earlier this week, Tony Kurtz, candidate for the 50th Assembly District, followed a concerning pattern of ignoring and flouting campaign finance law. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin (DPW) has filed an ethics complaint against Kurtz this cycle for illegally soliciting donations and making expenditures without registering his campaign. This follows numerous campaign finance and ethics violations during Kurtz’ 2014 run for Congress.

 

“No one is above the law, and as a career campaigner, Mr. Kurtz knows better,” said Doug Hyant, the Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee (ADCC)’s Executive Director. “Mr. Kurtz’ past, and now present, is filled with violations. How can we possibly trust his current report when it’s not clear he’s ever fully complied with campaign finance law?”

 

Kurtz, an Ohio native, moved to the 50thAssembly District shortly after his failed 2014 Congressional bid challenging Congressman Ron Kind (D-LaCrosse). Federal Election Commission (FEC) records from 2014[1]and 2015[2], respectively, show Kurtz attempted to subvert transparency and disclosure in his campaign filings and accepted excessive contributions. Mr. Kurtz failed to disclose important identifying information about donors who gave him more than $200, and in some cases, accepted donations exceeding federal contribution limits.

 

Federal election laws require that when candidates accept donations over $200, the candidate must report the amount of the donation, the date the donation was received, and the donor’s full name, mailing address, occupation, and employer.

 

Despite being given numerous opportunities to correct these errors, Kurtz refused. Eventually, after several missed filings, the FEC terminated[3]Kurtz’ Congressional committee.

 

“We should be able to trust that our elected officials are behaving ethically and following the law,” Hyant continued. “Wealthy donors and special interests shouldn’t be able to buy our elections, and they certainly shouldn’t be able to do it while hiding their identities from the public. The people of the 50thAssembly District deserve better from candidates asking for their vote in November.”

 

Kurtz is running unopposed in the Republican primary and will be facing Art Shrader and James Krus in the November 6thgeneral election.

 

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