Finance board says Rybak survey violated reporting rules

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak greeted supporters at a party at the Graves 601 Hotel Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009.
Jeffrey Thompson/Jeffrey Thompson

The Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board said Friday that Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak violated state reporting requirements when he paid for an opinion survey earlier this year.

The board concluded the survey conducted in May was designed to gather information for R.T. Rybak's 2010 gubernatorial bid, not his mayoral re-election. The DFL mayor just registered his campaign for governor this week, two days after winning re-election.

The board ordered Rybak's gubernatorial campaign to repay his mayoral campaign $26,500 for the survey. He must also account for earlier travel expenses.

State Republican Party Chairman Tony Sutton, who filed the complaint, said Rybak deliberately tried to skirt the law.

"Rybak campaigned for governor across Minnesota for months without lawfully establishing a campaign committee and recording his expenditures," Sutton said. "This pattern of deception shows Rybak does not have the judgment to lead our great state."

Republican Party officials filed a complaint against St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman in September. Coleman ended his gubernatorial bid last month and in a separate ruling, the board said Coleman must report his travel expenses.

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