Sex Offender Contributions to King Soar Past Limit

There's been a lot of ink spilled about the fact that a registered sex offender contributed money to Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gary King's campaign.

But little has been said about the fact that the contributions from the sex-offender were three times the legal limit of what a donor can give during an election year.

This week, the Santa Fe New Mexican published a top-of-the fold, front-page story about the fact that, "King has received more than $35,000 in campaign contributions from an address in the U.S. Virgin Islands that also is listed as the address of a convicted sex offender who years ago bought property in Stanley from King's family."

From the New Mexican: Jeffrey Epstein, 61, is listed in the New York state sex offender registry as residing at 6100 Red Hook Quarter B3, St. Thomas Virgin Islands. He was convicted in 2008 of soliciting sex from girls as young as 14. Police said Epstein had sex with five teenagers he hired to give him massages at his Florida home. The paper followed up on the story today, reporting that King said he will return "the $35,600 he received from companies associated with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein."

The current legal limit: candidates may only accept $5,200 from the same contributor per election. Accounting for both primary and general elections, that's $10,400 per election year.

New Mexico law states that: "All contributions made by a person to a candidate, either directly or indirectly, including contributions that are in any way earmarked or otherwise directed through another person to a candidate, shall be treated as contributions from the person to that candidate."

King's campaign report shows more than $30,000 in contributions to King from at least five different companies using the same Virgin Islands address.

New Mexico law says candidates and PACs, "shall not knowingly accept or solicit a contribution, directly or indirectly, including a contribution earmarked or otherwise directed or coordinated through another person...that violates the contribution limits."

Anyone who knowingly violates the Campaign Reporting Act is guilty of a misdemeanor that carries a $1,000 fine, no more than a year imprisonment or both.

King is also the state's attorney general—one of two officials, along with the secretary of state, charged with enforcing the Act.

King's campaign has not returned a request for comment yet.

Santa Fe Reporter