MassGOP to pay $36K after allegations of illegal donations

"The Massachusetts Republican Party faced allegations of taking tens of thousands of dollars in unlawful donations-including from the campaign of a congressional candidate who is now serving prison time-and has now agreed to pay the state more than $36,000 in a settlement agreement. The donations in question were made to the state party in 2022, when it was operating under previous leadership. The state Office of Campaign and Political Finance noted in the agreement that the party's current leaders have fully cooperated with the investigation."

"OCPF conducted an audit of the party's bank records and flagged 11 donations it received between March and December 2022. These totaled $36,759.45. By far the largest donation, a check for $27,723.45, came from the congressional campaign of Dean Tran. Tran, a former state senator, unsuccessfully attempted to oust Rep. Lori Trahan in 2022. Earlier this year, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison on federal fraud charges."

"In June, Tran pleaded guilty on separate state charges that he stole a gun from an elderly constituent. He is serving a six-month sentence concurrently with the 18-month federal sentence. Tran has also been indicted on charges that he violated state ethics laws by using members of his Senate staff to campaign for him during his reelection campaigns in 2018 and 2020. The state party is barred from taking contributions from federal accounts like Tran's congressional campaign, according to OCPF."

Massachusetts Republican Party agreed to pay more than $36,000 to resolve allegations it accepted prohibited donations in 2022. The state Office of Campaign and Political Finance audited the party's bank records and flagged 11 donations totaling $36,759.45, the largest a $27,723.45 check from Dean Tran's congressional campaign. The flagged donations were received under previous party leadership. The party's current leaders cooperated with the investigation and the party did not admit legal violations. Dean Tran, a former state senator, faces federal and state convictions and indictments related to fraud, firearm theft, and alleged ethics violations.

Read at Boston.com