A third-place candidate in last fall’s municipal election is being accused of violating campaign financial reporting rules.
Allegations against Thai Mac, who publicly withdrew and then soon after relaunched his campaign in Ward 1, will be formally heard by the city’s election compliance audit committee on July 17.
In his financial statement filed with the city, Mac reported spending $7,718.67 on his campaign – all from him and his spouse.
The audit committee complaint, filed by resident Amanda Turner, alleges Mac didn’t provide a complete list of campaign donations and donors, excluded expenses related to his campaign website and failed to report advertising expenses.
None of the allegations have been proven.
Contacted via email, Mac declined to offer comment on the allegations.
Turner was among several people who during the election publicly spoke out about concerns regarding some of Mac's previous online posts.
If, after hearing from both sides, the committee decides an audit is warranted, an outside consultant would be brought in to perform the work, explained clerk Stephen O’Brien. A report would then be prepared for the committee, which would decide whether to dismiss the matter or refer it to the courts for a decision and, potentially, penalties.
During last fall's municipal election, Mac finished third in the race for two seats representing Ward 1. He finished with 1,247 votes, behind Dan Gibson (2,375 votes) and Erin Caton (1,418).
