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

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A letter says Conservative Warriors PAC must remedy the situation by Sept. 1.

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.

Jacob Ogles

Jacob Ogles has covered politics in Florida since 2000 for regional outlets including SRQ Magazine in Sarasota, The News-Press in Fort Myers and The Daily Commercial in Leesburg. His work has appeared nationally in The Advocate, Wired and other publications. Events like SRQ’s Where The Votes Are workshops made Ogles one of Southwest Florida’s most respected political analysts, and outlets like WWSB ABC 7 and WSRQ Sarasota have featured his insights. He can be reached at [email protected].


2 comments

  • James crawford

    August 13, 2022 at 3:51 pm

    You guys have more pro Laurel Lee and anti Kelli Stargel articles than I’ve ever seen. It’s so abundantly obvious who you guys support. I wish you’d just report on Florida Politics without the slant.

    • James Crawford

      August 14, 2022 at 1:26 am

      Sure, of course it is. But you only investigate Kelli Stargel and report negatively on her. You’ve yet to write a single article stating anything negative about Laurel Lee…you constantly defend her. And considering there are numerous election fraud rumors about her, I just wish you’d report on both without the slant so voters could make a legitimate decision on this race.

Comments are closed.


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