SALT LAKE CITY — The Lieutenant Governor’s Office says that Sean Reyes, a contender for Utah’s Attorney General, acted legally. The decision came after accusations of misusing campaign funds came to light.
The complaint, filed by Kelly Smith, alleged that a $5,000 contribution from Utah Freedom Defense, Reyes’ political action committee, was not acknowledged in campaign finance filings.
Reyes says it was not a contribution, but a reimbursement, and the Lt. Governor’s Office agreed. The Lt. Governor’s decision says that Reyes had incorrectly called that payment a contribution rather than a reimbursement.
“I had paid Comprehensive Strategic Solutions, which had spent money establishing the PAC, creating the PAC and doing a number of activities and actually funding the activities of the PAC,” said Reyes.
Reyes says he personally paid the $5,000 to Comprehensive and then asked for the reimbursement back.
A letter from the state director of elections says the matter has been resolved and that there was no wrongdoing.
Reyes says the complaint has actually helped his campaign. He says a number of delegates have contacted him, sympathetic hearing of the accusation and calling it “political gamesmanship.”
