Politics

Campaign finance regulators withdraw $56,500 fine levied against Anchorage Rep. Tuck

Alaska’s campaign finance agency has withdrawn a $56,500 fine it had imposed on Anchorage Democratic Rep. Chris Tuck, saying he showed that the 2020 campaign contribution the agency alleged was late-reported was actually made outside of a required reporting window.

“The previously assessed penalty is withdrawn, and no action will be taken by the Alaska Public Offices Commission,” the agency said in a letter last week that Tuck shared with the Daily News.

Tuck announced last week that he was not seeking reelection. The state redistricting board had placed him in a new district with another Anchorage Democratic representative, Andy Josephson, and the two said they did not want to run against each other.

Tuck had said he was leaving the Legislature to spend more time with his daughter.

The campaign finance agency had alleged that Tuck had failed to report a contribution within a 24-hour window as required by state law if a donation arrives within nine days before an election. Tuck subsequently showed that the donation in question was actually received before the 24-hour reporting window and disclosed in a previous campaign finance report, the commission said in its letter last week.

Nathaniel Herz

Anchorage-based independent journalist Nathaniel Herz has been a reporter in Alaska for nearly a decade, with stints at the Anchorage Daily News and Alaska Public Media. Read his newsletter, Northern Journal, at natherz.substack.com

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