[StBernard] Taffaro Paid Traffic Ticket With Campaign Fund

[Westley Annis]

Taffaro Paid Traffic Ticket With Campaign Fund

St. Bernard Parish President Plans To Reimburse Money

POSTED: 4:22 pm CDT May 10, 2011
UPDATED: 4:49 pm CDT May 10, 2011

CHALMETTE, La. -- St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro used campaign
funds to pay a traffic camera ticket last year, and he has asked the state
Ethics Commission about whether that is a violation.

Taffaro sought clarification from the Ethics Commission on campaign finance
following an inquiry by WDSU News about the traffic ticket.
He said in a statement Tuesday that he paid the citation late, and it cost
$185.

The Ethics Commission said that the only case on record does not allow
campaign finances to be used for defense of criminal activity. But Taffaro
noted that a citation from a traffic camera is not a criminal defense.

Still, Taffaro said he will reimburse his campaign fund for the amount of
the ticket and amend his campaign finance report.

"The report will be amended to reflect the change, and the commission
described it as not a matter for the board and no further action was
necessary," Taffaro said in a statement.


Read more: http://www.wdsu.com/news/27844338/detail.html#ixzz1M2sLtKvb