Maryland's state prosecutor will be asked to review apparent campaign finance violations by Baltimore County Councilman Kenneth N. Oliver, according to the state Board of Elections.
Oliver wrote checks to himself and to his wife from his campaign account totaling $4,000 from November through January, and described the withdrawals as loans for "family emergencies," according to reports filed with the state Board of Elections.
The state prosecutor will determine whether the withdrawals constitute a violation, said Jared DeMarinis, director of candidacy and campaign finance for the elections board.
But, DeMarinis said, "Any expenditure has to have nexus relationship with the candidacy. When that doesn't exist, it could be considered improper expenditure."
Oliver, a Randallstown Democrat, declined to comment yesterday. His personal use of his campaign funds were first reported in The Jeffersonian and The Towson Times.
In a Feb. 7 letter written to the Board of Elections, Oliver apologized for his "poor choice in handling a family emergency," and he said he was "unaware of the possibility of committing a campaign finance violation."
He did not elaborate on what the family emergency was.
"It is important to note that the disbursements were faithfully listed on my reports to the State Board of Election Supervisors," Oliver wrote in the letter. "There was nothing hidden, no subterfuge, I thought I was doing what was required of me."
Oliver wrote a $2,000 check to his wife, Thelma Oliver, in November, listing the expense as "loan for family emergency," according to a campaign finance report filed in January. That report listed receiving repayment of the loan in December.
The councilman wrote another $2,000 to himself from his campaign fund Jan. 17, describing the transaction as "funds for family emergency," according to a campaign finance report filed this month.
In the letter to the Board of Elections, Oliver said that $2,000 was repaid Jan. 28, but the transaction does not appear in the campaign finance records. A report covering transactions from Jan. 28 through Oct. 19 is due Oct. 24.
laura.barnhardt@baltsun.com