The political action committee run by the correction officers’ union agreed to pay a $45,000 penalty for excess in-kind contributions made during the 2018 campaign cycle, including $23,200 spent on signs, banners and bumper stickers for Gov. Charlie Baker’s re-election campaign.
The Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union PAC was determined by state campaign finance regulators to have made $28,850 in excess in-kind contributions to six campaigns. The PAC signed an agreement to pay $22,500 to the state’s general fund, and to make an equal contribution to a charity of its choice.
Baker’s campaign was the biggest beneficiary of the in-kind contributions, but between $1,050 and $1,200 also went to the campaigns of Rep. Brian Murray of Milford, Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz, Rep. Harold Naughton of Clinton, Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early and Patrick Malone, a candidate for the House from Uxbridge.
The candidates who received the contributions told state Office of Campaign and Political Finance officials they would voluntarily give up the amounts they received in excess of the allowable $500 contribution from a PAC.
Baker’s campaign told regulators that the union-bought signs and banners were mostly used at an endorsement event at union headquarters and by union members outside gubernatorial debates and other debates. While some materials may have been left at campaign headquarters, Baker campaign officials said they did not believe a “substantial amount” of the signs or stickers were in their possession following the election.