Eaton County Sheriff Tom Reich has returned an estimated $6,000 to $7,000 in campaign donations collected illegally from corporations and local businesses.
Fox 47 News obtained copies of dozens of returned checks and an apology from Reich was also received.
This is the latest development in a complaint filed with the state by former Eaton County Sheriff and current Senator Rick Jones.
“I believe what happened is that they (the campaign) failed to realize that even though it wasn't property, it was still a corporate contribution and therefore the corporation should not have provided it," said Brett McRae, Sheriff Reich’s attorney offering campaign finance services.
The specific donations to Reich's campaign violate Michigan's Campaign Finance Law. The law states corporations cannot donate to any committee except for ballot proposal committees.
"Under the act it's not actually illegal for a candidate committee to accept a corporate contribution, it’s only illegal for the corporation to give it," said McRae.
McRae says the campaign’s treasurer Theresa O’Dell nor Sheriff Reich have backgrounds in campaign finance law.
O’Dell is also Sheriff Reich’s executive assistant.
“For the past, the Eaton County Clerk has not actually reviewed campaign finance reports and provided notices of error or omission,” said McRae. “As a consequence neither the sheriff's campaign nor any other county campaign for that matter has been able to learn through their mistakes."
Violating the Campaign Finance Law is a felony punishable by up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
"My experience in the past is when the subjects of a complaint act promptly to rectify the situation then the state generally says at least you are moving forward,” said McRae. “They (the state) says don't do it again otherwise you'll really be in trouble and often just let people off with a warning."
The race for Eaton County Sheriff has become increasingly ugly.
A Shiawassee County Circuit Court judge has denied a request for a personal protection order against Eaton County Sheriff Tom Reich. The sheriff's wife, Brenda Cleeves-Reich filed the petition after calling state police to their home Monday night.
Reich's opponent in the race for sheriff is former Eaton County Undersheriff Fred McPhail. Prosecutors postponed a hearing Thursday in his son's child-sex-abuse case.
Brody McPhail and Hunter Chance are charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct with someone younger than 13 and with producing child pornography.
McPhail is also charged with distributing child pornography.
Grand Ledge Police arrested them based on a report of an incident that happened on May 7.
McPhail is out on bail and Chance is being held in a juvenile facility. They both face up to life in prison if convicted.
From divorce, personal protection orders, family matters, and illegal campaign donations, what’s now on the minds of voters as November approaches?
"I think that the regulations are complicated, that could of happened unwittingly,” said Judy Blevins, a resident of Olivet. “I think with all of the issues that have come up in the sheriff's race everything has to be considered."
There are no other candidates running for Eaton County Sheriff.. Both Reich and McPhail are the only two candidates running for the sheriff’s position.
