FEC warns Kelli Stargel-tied super PAC about failing to disclose spending

TALLAHASSEE, FLA. 3/1/22-Senate Appropriations Chair Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, left, talks with Senate Rules Chair Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, during session, Tuesday at the Capitol in Tallahassee. COLIN HACKLEY PHOTO

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) said a super PAC supporting Republican Kelli Stargel’s bid for Congress has not filed the proper campaign finance reports.

“Failure to adequately respond by the response date noted above could result in an audit or enforcement action,” a letter from the FEC to Conservative Warriors PAC Treasurer Brett Doster reads.

The super PAC has reported a number of independent expenditures, including direct mail pieces paid for on Aug. 4 attacking state Rep. Jackie Toledo and former Secretary of State Laurel Lee.

But the Schedule E report submitted to the FEC “indicated that your committee may have failed to timely file one or more of the required 48 hour report(s) for independent expenditures.”

That means there may be mail pieces that were not properly reported to the FEC.

“You will not receive an additional notice from the Commission on this matter,” the FEC notice states.

The agency gives the super PAC until Sept. 1 to correct the reporting failure before the FEC considers if an audit action will be taken. That’s notably a week after the Aug. 23 Republican Primary in Florida’s 15th Congressional District.

“Requests for extension of time in which to respond will not be considered,” the notice reads.

Stargel, Toledo, and Lee face off in the Primary, which will determine the Republican nominee in one of Florida’s most closely divided congressional seats in the state.

About 50.86% of voters in the district supported Republican Donald Trump in the 2020 Presidential Election. It’s also an open seat, a result of Florida being awarded a new congressional district in reapportionment following the 2020 Census.

Congressional campaigns may not coordinate with super PACs. Conservative Warriors PAC formed in June and accepted a $1 million donation from the Florida political committee Limited Government For a Stronger Florida, which was associated with Stargel’s state legislative runs in previous years.

Funding similarly was converted from Florida committees to federal PACs supporting Toledo and Lee.