UT-04: Owens, a Republican House candidate in Utah, accepted at least $135,000 in illegal donations
Burgess Owens, a former professional football player running as a Republican in one of the country’s tightest House races, accepted more than $130,000 in contributions that were over the legal limit, raising questions in the final stretch of the election about his compliance with campaign finance laws.
Mr. Owens, a frequent commentator on Fox News who is challenging Representative Ben McAdams, Democrat of Utah, reported bringing in a staggering $2.5 million during the third quarter fund-raising period, one of the biggest hauls for a Republican congressional candidate.
But a review of his campaign’s financial disclosures showed that at least $135,500 — about 40 percent of the cash his campaign currently has on hand in the final stretch — was ineligible because the donors had contributed more than the legal limit.
Individuals may donate up to $2,800 to a federal candidate per election, according to limits published by the Federal Election Commission.
When campaigns receive donations from individuals that exceed those caps, officials must either refund the illegal contributions or reattribute them. The F.E.C. reached out to the campaign in August identifying one such excessive contribution, which the campaign refunded. But the campaign declined to say whether it had addressed the rest of the donations, or planned to.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/10/27/us/trump-biden-election#burgess-owens-a-republican-house-candidate-in-utah-accepted-at-least-135000-in-illegal-donations
