Thursday, December 16, 2004

Local News - The Idaho Statesman - Always Idaho

Local News - The Idaho Statesman - Always Idaho

Wednesday, December 08, 2004

State rules candidate broke law

Marge Chadderdon's effort to correct problem in finance report means she won't be charged
Taryn Brodwater
Idaho Spokesman Review Staff writer
December 3, 2004

Marge Chadderdon violated state campaign disclosure laws when she failed to report more than $2,000 she spent for ads in the Coeur d'Alene Press, according to the Secretary of State's office.

Chadderdon isn't facing charges because the state's investigation found that the newly elected state representative didn't "willfully" violate the law and had immediately responded by filing an amended report.

The Idaho Democratic Party had filed a complaint against the Republican just days before the Nov. 2 election. Democrat Mike Gridley had raised questions about his opponent's sunshine report after he saw several ads in the newspaper that weren't disclosed.



At the time, Chadderdon told The Spokesman-Review that she didn't receive a bill for the ads until after the deadline for the pre-general election report.

Chadderdon couldn't be reached for comment Thursday.

"I have no reason to believe Marge intentionally or willfully tried to do anything wrong," Gridley said Thursday. "I was looking at it because it didn't make sense."

Thursday was the deadline for candidates to file their 30-day post-general campaign finance reports, disclosing contribution and expenditures through Nov. 12.

The reports showed Gridley raised $45,538 and spent most of that in his bid for the District 4 seat. Chadderdon raised significantly less, just more than $25,000.

She spent $30,000 on her campaign.

The biggest spender in North Idaho was Democrat Steve Elgar. He raised and spent nearly $69,000 during his unsuccessful bid to represent District 1.

Republican Eric Anderson received 50.2 percent of the vote to Elgar's 45 percent. Anderson raised almost $39,000 and spent $33,000.

In each of North Idaho's legislative districts, candidates raised significantly more than their predecessors in the 2002 election.

In Districts 1 and 3, candidates this fall had nearly twice as many contributions as 2002's hopefuls.

For complete campaign finance reports, visit the Secretary of State's Web site at www.idsos.state.id.us.