State board will look at GOP finances

The Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board has agreed to investigate the Republican Party of Minnesota for alleged campaign finance violations.

The watchdog group Common Cause Minnesota filed a complaint last week alleging that the state party had circumvented disclosure laws by failing to reveal its role in management of a fund aimed at financing the 2010 recount in the

governor's race.

Common Cause issued a news release today announcing the investigation, which is expected to take several months.

"Common Cause is calling on the Republican Party of Minnesota to release all the documents related to the investigation," said Mike Dean, Executive Director of Common Cause Minnesota. "The Republican Party of Minnesota has broken the trust of party activists and the public by hiding hundreds of thousands of dollars in spending. Now is the time to be open and honest about its party finances."

Dean said the party could face a fine of up to $1.1 million.

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