Simkins PAC Illegal Contribution from Action Greensboro on Campaign Contribution Form Mid Year

Below is the mid year 2009 disclosure report where Action Greensboro a non profit illegally gave the Simkins Political Action Committee $5,000, but had to send this money to the North Carolina Penalty and Forfeiture Fund.
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Action Greensboro Did Give Illegally to the Simkins Political Action Committee

The North Carolina State Board of Elections has came down with a ruling in the inquiry from Keith Brown to the campaign contribution of $5,000 from Action Greensboro to the George C. Simkins Jr. Memorial Political Action Committee.

To see the official letter from the State Board of Elections click on the title above or CLICKHERE

To understand the history of this issue Triadwatch has a post back on January 25, 2009 called "Letter of Inquiry to the State Board of Elections on Simkins PAC and Action Greensboro" CLICKHERE

Here are a few of the questions that were sent to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

#1 Is the maximum contribution $4,000 per cycle?

YES

The Simkins PAC and Action Greensboro violated North Carolina General Statute 163-278.13 where the maximum amount that can be given is $4,000 per cycle.

#2 Can a 501(c)3 non profit organization like Action Greensboro give to a PAC?

NO

Action Greensboro was in violation of North Carolina General Statute 163-278.19 because Action Greensboro is registered with the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)3 group and therefore is prohibited from making contributions to political action committees registered in the State of North Carolina. The next letter of inquiry should be to the Internal Revenue Service.

What happened to the $5,000 given to the Simkins PAC?

The state board concluded that this money was considered a prohibited receipt and would need to forfeit the contribution to the North Carolina Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund.

On March 6, 2009 a check in the amount of $5,000 was given to the North Carolina Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund by none other than Melvin "Skip" Alston, the treasurer of the Simkins PAC and also chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissions and local lawyer R. Steve Bowden name was also on the letter from the state.

As reported in the past on Triadwatch, Skip Alston has his own link CLICKHERE , where you can see from past post that the Simkins PAC might need to hire another treasurer because he doesn't have a clue on campaign law or lately he doesn't have a clue on open meetings law as well.

This campaign contribution from Action Greensboro brings up a whole lot of issues that have been talked about in the past and need to be looked at more closely in the future.

Here is a good post on Joe Guarino's blog where Skip Moore from the Weaver Foundation and a member of Action Greensboro wanted to cover his you know what on this $5,000 contribution, here is the link CLICKHERE with a title "Action Greensboro's Pay to Play".

Campaign laws in this state are pretty clear and the total lax reporting of our local Guilford County politicians in regards to campaign contributions need a complete overhaul. The Greensboro municipal elections are coming up in fall and I would like to suggest to all of them to clean up their reports and make sure you are following state law or it will get reported and brought to the attention of our local board or in the case of the Action Greensboro, illegal contribution to the George Simkins Jr. Memorial Political Action Committee it will need to go to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

This is citizen journalism at it's best.

Update: Local Post
Greensboro News and Record article CLICKHERE
Joe Guarino's Blog CLICKHERE
FEC CLICKHERE
Spag Report CLICKHERE
Yes! Weekly CLICKHERE
Piedmont Publius CLICKHERE
Tony Wilkins CLICKHERE
Greensboro Metro CLICKHERE

Simkins PAC Fourth Quarter Campaign Contributions Are In

The George Simkins Political Action Committee Fourth Quarter campaign forms are reported with a total of $4,500 coming from 3 people. To see the returns click on the title above or CLICKHERE then go to fourth quarter.



Contributions from individual came from one person


Charles T. Hagan Jr. gave $2,500 with the usual missing report about job title and employers name from treasurer and Guilford County Commissioner Skip Alston

Committee Contributions



Citizens for John Parks gave $1,000 who is a Guilford County Commissioner



Cowell for Treasurer gave $1,000 N.C. State Treasurer



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UPDATE: There is a letter that was sent to the North Carolina Board of Elections on the status of the George Simkins PAC third quarter returns which uncovered contributions made from Action Greensboro $5,000 and to find out how a non profit can give money to this Political Action Committee, and other discrepancies in their filings.

If you would like to see the other post on this issue CLICKHERE

Simkins Political Action Committee A Part of David Wray Lawsuit

The Simkins Political Action Committee is now a part of the David Wray lawsuit against the City of Greensboro.

This new development was brought to the forefront by local blogger Ben Holder and his site called The Troublemaker CLICKHERE

Then friend and local blogger Joe Guarino made a post CLICKHERE

While looking at the lawsuit brought against the City of Greensboro there was a interesting points made which were #18 and #19. If you would like to see the whole lawsuit thanks to The Troublemaker click on the title above or go to the posts provided by both bloggers.

Here is what item #18 said:

Hinson was represented by a prominent Greensboro attorney with ties to a well -known African American Political Action Committee in Greensboro ( the "Simkins PAC").

Here is what item #19 said:

The Simkins PAC has over the years demonstrated an ability to mobilize members of the African American community in Greensboro for purposes of targeted voting, and has been so successful that politicians running for office in Greensboro, whether white or African American, seek the endorsement of the Simkins PAC in order to be elected.

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The Simkins PAC has been getting a lot of scrutiny lately and TRIADWATCH has a inquiry with the North Carolina Board of Elections as to the contributions of a certain non-profit named Action Greensboro to the Simkins PAC . Here is the post on that issue back on November 9, 2008.

Here is the title of the post "Simkins PAC in Bed with Action Greensboro Illegally"

CLICKHERE

Everyone is well aware of the Simkins PAC and the total vote buying scheme that this PAC is a part of.My hope for the future is for the African American community to say to this PAC , screw your piece of paper endorsement I have a brain.

It will be interesting to see how this will play out in a court of law and to see the implications on the Simkins PAC.