Election board seeks attorney general probe into Constitutional Republicans’ finances.

TLDR:

The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance has requested the state attorney general’s office to investigate two Constitutional Republican groups that have failed to register as political action committees. A business owner filed a complaint, alleging that these groups should be considered multicandidate political action committees and therefore should disclose their spending on state elections. The matter has been referred to Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti.

Summary:

The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance has requested the state attorney general’s office to investigate two Constitutional Republican groups, the Sumner County Constitutional Republicans and the Tennessee Constitutional Republicans, that have failed to register as political action committees (PACs). The request comes after a business owner, West Duenkel, filed a complaint with the registry and the Sumner County district attorney’s office, claiming that these groups should be considered multicandidate PACs and should disclose their spending on state elections.

The complaint alleges that the two groups qualify as multicandidate PACs because they make expenditures to support or oppose two or more candidates for public office or two or more measures in an election involving referendums. Even though they have been active in campaigns, the groups have not registered with the state as PACs, therefore avoiding the requirement to disclose their spending.

The Tennessee Registry of Election Finance took the complaint seriously and voted to send it to Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti for investigation. If the attorney general’s office finds merit in the complaint, the Constitutional Republican groups may face penalties or legal action for failing to comply with state election finance laws.