SWINGLE INVESTIGATES ELECTION COMPLAINT

JACKSON - Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said Monday he will decide within two weeks whether any charges should be filed against a local group for violating campaign finance disclosure laws of the state.

Last October, former City Councilman Curt Smith filed a complaint with the Campaign Finance Review Board about irregularities in activities and reports of the Elect A Neighbor Committee, an organization that successfully worked for passage of a referendum to have council members elected by zones in the city.

The effort was approved by voters in the Nov. 3 general election.

Under the state's campaign finance disclosure law, the review board is charged with investigating complaints; however, it can take no legal action. Results of their findings are turned over to local prosecutors for review and any appropriate court action.

Marion Stinnett, executive director of the board, indicated earlier this month that an investigator from his staff had determined there were some violations of the law. Stinnett said the information would be forwarded to Swingle for his consideration.

But Swingle said he did not receive the information until last Thursday, because it was sent to the Common Pleas Courthouse in Cape Girardeau where his office was located until a year ago. The Post Office returned the letter to Jefferson City; the campaign finance office re-sent the material to Swingle at his office in the county courthouse in Jackson last week.

Swingle said he could not release what was in the report but described it as "skimpy." He added, "That is why I'm doing my own investigation. The investigation was incomplete when I got it."

Swingle's staff investigator will be conducting interviews and following up on information provided by the campaign finance review board.

"Basically, all it was was photo copies of financial reports, with very little investigation," said Swingle. "It was a cover page and photo copied statements."

He added, "I would like to make a decision one way or the other within two weeks."

If a charge is filed, Swingle said the report he received would be included with court documents. If he decides charges are not justified, the prosecutor said he would release the report he was sent and the results of his investigation to let the public know what is going on.