One of Tennessee GOP state Rep. Tony Shipley’s major campaign contributors has been called before a state board to answer for his contribution activities.
The Truth Matters political action committee, established last July by Middle Tennessee businessman Andrew Miller Jr., gave Shipley $7,100 and gave thousands of dollars to other GOP candidates.
Miller’s and the PAC’s activities will be the subject of a Sept. 5 hearing held by the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance (TREF) to determine whether the PAC was used as an “illegal conduit” to avoid individual contribution limits.
Miller also made a $1,500 individual contribution to Shipley’s campaign in June 2011, said TREF Executive Director Drew Rawlins.
Campaign finance law in Tennessee allows individual contributors to give candidates up to $1,400 per election, while PACs can contribute a maximum of $7,100 per election.
If found to be in violation, Miller could face a potential civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation or 115 percent of all contributions made. The candidates would also have to return the contributions, according to state law.
Shipley, who will face Democrat Bruce Dotson for the 2nd House District seat in the November general election, did not respond to a phone call seeking comment for this story.
The Truth Matters PAC also contributed to the successful GOP primary campaigns of Blountville businessman Timothy Hill in the 3rd House District and political newcomer Micah Van Huss, who defeated 6th House District incumbent state Rep. Dale Ford, R-Jonesborough. Hill, the brother of state Rep. Matthew Hill, got $5,000. Van Huss received $7,100.
According to TREF, Miller also contributed $50,000 to Tennesseans for Ethics in Government, an organization that attacked Shipley’s GOP primary opponent Ben Mallicote on abortion in a direct mail piece.
Mallicote, a former Kingsport alderman and vice mayor, lost the 2nd House District August GOP primary election to Shipley by 10 votes.
In an e-mail, Miller also verified he is the chairman of the Tennessee Freedom Coalition (TFC), a nonprofit organization listing its top advocacy issue as educating people “on the realities of Sharia and stopping the growth of Radical Islam.”
Miller, who lists himself as president of a Nashville-based health care venture, also poured thousands of dollars into the unsuccessful GOP primary campaign of former TFC Executive Director Lou Ann Zelenik, who opposed U.S. Rep. Diane Black’s re-election bid.
For more about campaign finance in Tennessee go to www.tn.gov/tref.