Washington County campaign finance charges filed

Three political candidates running for seats in Washington County, along with one local business, are being charged with campaign finance violations, marking the first alleged violations of their kind in the county's recent history.

Supervisor candidates Jack Seward Jr., 56, of West Chester, and Robert C. Yoder, 57, of Kalona, are being charged along with Iowa House District 78 candidate Priscilla Marlar, 24, of rural Washington County, who is no longer in the race after losing in the June 5 primary.

The Washington County Attorney's Office reported discovering the alleged violations, which were connected with the primary races, after receiving tips from members of the public and reviewing campaign disclosure statements filed on May 19 and July 19.

“We certainly don't take them lightly,” County Auditor Dan Widmer said. “This has not occurred before - at least not in the recent past.”

Seward faces one count of unlawful receipt of a monetary or in-kind campaign contribution from a corporation, based on allegations that he received an in-kind campaign contribution of $75 from Custom Impressions Inc. on May 11.

Yoder faces one count of unlawful transfer of campaign funds based on allegations that he made an illegal transfer of funds on May 24 to a political action committee - the Iowa Political Action Committee Free County - worth $1,400.

And Marlar faces a count of unlawful receipt of a monetary campaign contribution from a corporation and a count of unlawful use of campaign funds based on allegations that she received a contribution of $300 on April 27 from Iowa-based Olson-Powell Memorial Chapel Inc., and spent $101.65 for personal reasons. She is accused of buying car tires on June 27 with the campaign money, according to the County Attorney's Office.

The County Attorney's Office also is filing seven criminal charges against a Washington-based business accused of improper placement of campaign signs. Custom Impressions Inc., 110 West Main St., faces unlawful campaign sign placement charges based on allegations that the company, which is only allowed to post signs advocating ballot issues, illegally posted signs in May pushing for the election of specific candidates.

The business also faces one charge of unlawful campaign contribution from a corporation based on allegations that it gave $75 to Seward's committee on May 11, according to the County Attorney's Office.

All of the charges are serious misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail and a maximum fine of $1,875. The defendants all are due to make court appearances on Aug. 10, according to County Attorney Larry Brock.

Brock said the alleged campaign violations won't affect the candidates' ability to continue campaigning for the November election.

Seward, a Republican, is facing Democrat Kay Ciha for the open Washington County supervisor's seat representing District 1. Yoder, a Republican, is running unopposed for the open supervisor's seat representing District 2.

There is a third open supervisor's seat pitting Republican Stan Stoops against Democrat Richard Gilmore, neither of whom are affected by the alleged campaign violations.

And Marlar is no longer in the race for state representative after losing to fellow Republican Jared Klein in the primary. Klein is running unopposed.

Attorney Barb Edmondson, who is representing Yoder, said in a statement, “Prior to the charge being filed, Bob Yoder was never contacted or asked about this matter. Since the charge has now been filed, the place for the whole truth to be presented is in the courtroom.”

Edmondson said Yoder is “very disappointed that he had to find out about the charge from the local radio station and newspaper.”

He also said he's learned that the local magistrate and district associate judge have recused themselves from the case, and a judge must be assigned from a different county.

Washington County earlier this month reported a suspected case of election misconduct involving the Board of Supervisors race after learning that someone had sent letters to residents encouraging them to request an absentee ballot and help “elect supervisors who will actually listen to their constituents and stop wasting tax dollars.”

The letters, which were illegal because they did not identify the sender or attribute the statements to anyone, specifically asked recipients to vote for Seward. The county attorney's and auditor's offices have not yet been able to identify the senders in that case, Brock said.

Correspondent Mary Zielinski contributed to this report.