McClelland botches the campaign finance report again

State Treasurer Stacy Garrity’s campaign today called on challenger Erin McClelland to immediately amend and correct her campaign finance report after finding an error that amounts to an inflation of about ten percent of McClelland’s cash. McClelland’s report, filed Tuesday, listed two identical $10,000 donations from Pittsburgh-based IBEW Local 5. However, a Political Action Committee report filed by Local 5 shows a single $10,000 donation.

“Comparing the two reports, we see that Erin McClelland – either accidentally or on purpose – double-counted the same $10,000, resulting in an incorrect total that misleads the public and represents approximately 10 percent of her campaign’s available cash” , said Jim. Tkacik, Garrity’s campaign manager. “This is simple, basic math. If McClelland can’t do this well, why should voters trust her to oversee $150 billion in taxpayer money?

This mistake is the latest in a series of campaign finance failures for McClelland. After two failed bids for US House, the Federal Election Commission administratively closed McClelland’s campaign committee after repeated warnings when McClelland failed to file legally required reports.

Earlier this year, news organizations reported that McClelland began raising and spending money in her campaign for state treasurer without first registering her committee with the state, as required by law.

“We understand that financial mistakes happen. Especially when Erin McClelland is involved,” Tkacik said. “But this is someone who wants to take charge of the Pennsylvania Treasury Department, which oversees every dollar spent by the Commonwealth. You’d think she could get her own campaign finance report right.”