Minnesota GOP To Pay $26K Fine Over Fed Reporting Issue

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Republican Party of Minnesota has agreed to pay a $26,000 fine to settle federal campaign finance reporting violations.

The Federal Election Commission accepted the agreement earlier this month.

According to the FEC, former Minnesota GOP chairman Tony Sutton would keep some invoices in his office, preventing them from being entered into the party's accounting system.

Sutton has denied deliberating concealing the party's debts. After he resigned in December 2011, invoices found in his office showed undisclosed debts from 2010 and 2011 totaling nearly $250,000.

The complaint was brought by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. An earlier complaint by the watchdog group resulted in a $170,000 fine against the Minnesota GOP.

State GOP Chairman Keith Downey says the party is glad "the final chapter is now closed."