Forms lacking for 2 Arkansas congressional candidates, FEC says

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Election Commission has not received mandatory paperwork from two Arkansas congressional candidates, according to the agency.

But both campaigns say they've filled out the forms, which are required by federal law when candidates raise or spend $5,000 or more.

Republican Randy Caldwell of Hot Springs Village, who is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 4th Congressional District, filed a statement of candidacy -- FEC Form 2 -- but not a statement of organization, also known as FEC Form 1, the agency said Friday.

The missing document identifies, among other things, the name, address and phone number of the campaign's treasurer, its custodian of records, its designated agent and the bank where the campaign funds are kept.

Caldwell is challenging incumbent U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman, a Republican from Hot Springs, in the May 22 primary.

Steve McCuin, a spokesman for the Caldwell campaign, said Form 1 and Form 2 were both submitted Feb. 9. He has a form indicating that paperwork was submitted electronically to the federal agency, which he shared with a reporter. It acknowledges that the FEC has received "Filing Type F2N" -- the code for FEC Form 2 -- but makes no mention of Form 1.

McCuin said they'll get to the bottom of it.

"There's a lot of bureaucracy in the government. You and I both know this. And sometimes things get lost or they're not done expeditiously," he said.

McCuin said Thursday and Friday that he couldn't provide a reporter with a copy of the form.

"It's less than 24 hours since we've discovered this. It's Good Friday. We are in our investigation process and that's all I can tell you at this moment," he said.

Democrat Jonathan Dunkley of Little Rock also hasn't filed FEC Form 2, the statement of candidacy designating his principal campaign committee, the FEC said.

Dunkley is one of four Democrats running for Congress in the 2nd Congressional District. The winner will face U.S. Rep. French Hill, a Republican from Little Rock, in the Nov. 6 general election.

According to the FEC website, candidates must register once they "receive contributions or make expenditures in excess of $5,000. Within 15 days of reaching that $5,000 threshold, [they] must file a Statement of Candidacy (FEC Form 2); authorizing a principal campaign committee to raise and spend funds on [their] behalf. Within 10 days of that filing, [a candidate's] principal campaign committee must submit a Statement of Organization."

Caldwell spent $15,000 on Feb. 22 when he paid his filing fee to the Republican Party of Arkansas.

Dunkley spent $10,000 on Feb. 28 when he paid his filing fee to the Democratic Party of Arkansas.

The Democrat declined to speak with a reporter. But in a written statement Friday, campaign spokesman Sarah Scanlon blamed uncooperative technology for the delay.

"The FEC site would not allow us [to] file our Form 2 electronically. We have downloaded the form, filled it out and submitted it," she said.

It should get to the FEC in Washington, D.C., soon, according to Scanlon.

Metro on 03/31/2018

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