BRADENTON — Manatee County Commissioner John Chappie raised and spent $78,134.57 to get reelected in 2012. He was also unopposed as a candidate in both the primary and the general election. Despite having a walkover, Chappie paid tens of thousands of dollars in “winning bonuses” to various political operatives. In an Order of Probable Cause issued by the Florida Elections Commission Tuesday, the FEC found cause that in doing so, Commissioner Chappie broke the rules.

Florida statutes detail how candidates can dispose of leftover money in their campaign accounts after an election, which Commissioner Chappie would seemingly have had a lot of after raising so much money only to receive a walkover in both races. Candidates can donate to a not-for-profit of their choice, fund their office account and pay any invoices yet unpaid.

Chappie's report detailed expenses paid to several people, all political operatives, including the accounting firm of Eric Robinson, husband of Sarasota County Commissioner Christine Robinson. Mr. Robinson recently announced his candidacy for Sarasota County's school board.

County Commissioner Betsy Benac and Commissioner Chappie both used political operative Linda Cinque for their campaigns that year. Chappie paid Cinque a $15,000 winning bonus, in addition to the $4,678.94 he had already paid for her services, bringing the total to $19,675.94—more than twice what Benac paid her.

Political Insights was a campaign consulting firm used by Benac, Chappie and County Commissioner Larry Bustle in 2012. They were paid a total of $27,000 by Commissioner Chappie, including a $15,000 winning bonus. Benac shows what appears to be a bonus paid of $13,000 to Political Insights, while Bustle, who had both a primary and general election opponent, only paid Political Insights $3,000 for his winning bonus.

The FEC found probable cause that Chappie had on four counts violated state statutes, twice on $5,000 winning bonuses paid to Cinque and twice more on $5,000 winning bonuses paid to Political Insights.

In the same 2012 election, Eric Robinson was Chappie's campaign treasurer. Robinson served the same post for Benac as well. For Chappie's campaign, a monthly fee of $250 was paid to Robinson’s firm by Chappie’s district campaign, same as Benac. However, unlike Benac, Chappie's was supplemented by a $14,520.53 payment to Robinson, bringing the total paid to $19,020.53, far more than the $2,805.44 Commissioner Benac paid Robinson for what should have been more work, as her campaign involved much more fiscal activity.

The probable cause order (click here to view) does not give explanations as to why the other $5,000 paid to each Political Insights and Cinque as bonuses was not included, nor why they apparently did not find probable cause on the monies paid to Robinson's accounting firm. In that instance, the payment wasn't called a "winning bonus," though the fact that the monthly fee covered accounting services for other candidates seems to indicate that it was a bonus of some sort, as even at $100 an hour, Mr. Robinson would have had to do over 140 hours of additional work on Commissioner Chappie's campaign to generate that much in fees.That seems impossible for a race that didn't include competition and had almost no actual expenditures beyond the payouts. Robinson would not discuss client billing with TBT.

Commissioner Chappie has 30 days to respond to the order. He can either elect to come to an agreement with commission staff through a consent order detailing the fine to be paid for the violations, request an informal hearing if he does not contest the material facts found in the order, or request a formal hearing to present evidence and/or testimony to refute the findings of the order. Commissioner Chappie declined to discuss the case with TBT. 

Chappie has already filed to run for reelection in 2016. Thus far, he's reported raising over $35,000 in contributions. He does dot yet have an opponent in the race. Robinson is again listed as his campaign treasurer.

related:

Manatee Politics: Commissioner John Chappie's Campaign Bonuses Raise Red Flags