RALEIGH, N.C. -- The State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement on Wednesday found “clear and convincing evidence” that the campaign committee of state Rep. Rodney Moore certified false campaign finance disclosure reports and that money contributed to his campaign was used for impermissible purposes.
The nine-member State Board unanimously voted to refer the case against Rep. Moore, a Charlotte Democrat, his former campaign treasurer Tammy Neal and the Committee to Elect Rodney W. Moore to the Mecklenburg County district attorney for further investigation and possible prosecution. Investigation details.
A State Board investigation began in 2017 after a routine audit of Moore’s reports turned up irregularities in the campaign’s reporting of contributions and expenditures.
Among the significant findings:
- The Moore committee did not disclose more than $141,000 in receipts and expenditures between 2010 and 2017.
- The committee failed to disclose more than $25,000 in cash withdrawals and cash back from purchases.
The Board also heard evidence that the committee submitted altered bank records in responses to questions from State Board auditors.
The purpose of campaign finance disclosure is to ensure the public receives accurate information about where candidates are getting their campaign money and how they’re spending it.
“Clearly, the public never had access to information about most of this committee’s transactions,” said Kim Westbrook Strach, State Board executive director. “This is a serious violation of the public trust.”