FEC: Kucinich's 2004 campaign owes $52K

WASHINGTON, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- The Federal Election Commission Thursday instructed the 2004 presidential campaign of U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, to return $52,443 to taxpayers.

The U.S. Treasury gave Kucinich's 2004 presidential campaign $3.3 million in matching funds that were not to be used after March 4, 2004, when he failed to garner 10 percent of the vote in consecutive primary elections, ending his eligibility for the funds, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reported.

The FEC found Kucinich spent more than $175,000 -- some of which came from the matching funds -- to continue campaigning until the Democratic Party selected Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts as its nominee on July 29, 2004.

Despite Kucinich's contention he used only private funds after his eligibility for public funds expired, the FEC concluded his campaign "did not receive sufficient private contributions to cover the total amount that it spent on continuing to campaign expenses" and thus "had to use matching funds to pay for some of those expenses instead."

Kucinich campaign treasurer Donald J. McTigue told the FEC in a letter Wednesday the campaign is "willing to raise additional contributions" and will not file another appeal, although it "respectfully disagrees with the basis for the repayment determination."

"We are pleased with the way it turned out," McTigue told The Plain Dealer.