Murray agrees to pay $80K over allegations

BOSTON – Former Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray and his campaign committee have agreed to pay $80,000 to resolve allegations that he accepted contributions unlawfully solicited by state employees on his behalf, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced.
In the disposition agreement entered with the Coakley’s and the Mass. Office of Campaign and Political Finance, Murray admitted that he did not exercise “proper oversight” to prevent two public employees from soliciting campaign contributions in connection with fundraising events in the Merrimack Valley and Worcester area. The total illegal contributions uncovered during the investigation and allegedly received by his committee totaled approximately $50,000.
Under the terms of the disposition, Murray will refund the full $50,000 in illegal contributions to the committee and pay a penalty of $30,000, including $10,000 from his personal funds. In addition, Murray will dissolve his political committee and will not serve as an officer or other fundraising-related employee of any political committee for a period of two years.
In January 2012, allegations surfaced that Michael McLaughlin, the former executive director of the Chelsea Housing Authority, had engaged in illegal fundraising for the benefit of the Murray campaign. Murray wrote to the office requesting that it investigate the allegations. In September 2012, OCPF referred allegations of violations of campaign-finance law to the AG’s office, which began its own investigation.
Murray acknowledged in the agreement that during his 2006 campaign for lieutenant governor, he actively sought the support of Michael McLaughlin. As a compensated public employee, McLaughlin was barred from fundraising activities.
Additionally, the Murray campaign acknowledges that an employee of the Mass. Department of Transportation helped organize and solicit donations as part of three fundraisers in the Worcester area between 2008 and 2010. •