Today, the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office revealed that settlements have been reached with Senator Ryan Fattman, Worcester County Register of Probate Stephanie Fattman, and the Sutton Town Republican Committee related to purported infractions of state campaign finance laws. These took place during Stephanie Fattman's re-election campaign in 2020. This represents the largest settlement sum candidate committees have ever paid to the Commonwealth in relation to such allegations, accorring to the Office of the Attorney General. The Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) cooperated in the examination, contributing this investigation with its findings and insights.
In the review, it was found that the campaign of Senator Fattman has contributed excess $160,000 to the Republican State Committee and the Sutton Republican Town Committee. This sum was used to fund more than 550,000 mail actions and provide other in-kind donations in support of Register Fattman's re-election campaign, exceeding the statutory contribution limit of $100 from a candidate to another significantly.
In settlement to the allegations, Stephanie Fattman, alongside her campaign committee, consented to disgorge the total amount of forbidden contributions channeled through the Republican State Committee, adding up to an amount of $137,000, as per Mass.gov. This settlement process will draw upon the committee's current assets and include four annual installments of $27,000, each to be paid no later than October 31, 2027.
Furthermore, a payment of $55,000 is expected from Senator Fattman, and Donald Fattman, his treasurer, is required to pay an additional sum of $10,000. Both Stephanie and Ryan Fattman will employ professional compliance agents for ensuring their campaigns comply strictly with all campaign finance laws through the 2026 primary and general elections.
The Sutton Republican Town Committee has also conceded to an agreement, involving a payment of its entire committee bank account amount, coming to a sum of $5,211.48, to the Commonwealth. Anthony Fattman, Senator Fattman's brother and Chair of the Sutton Republican Town Committee, is stepping down from his position due to this agreement and is indefinitely restricted from returning to the Chair in the future.
As a precursor to these settlements, the Attorney General's Office signed off on a separate agreement last month with the Massachusetts Republican State Committee, responsible for identical campaign finance violations. As part of the settlement, the Committee is obliged to remit a total of $15,000 by December 2023. These settlements manifest the significance of enforcing campaign finance laws and ensuring accountability for violators.
OCPF Director William Campbell has voiced his intention to continually educate and inform candidates about their obligations under campaign finance laws, priority will also be given to address potential violations to maintain public interest in timely and accurate disclosure of such activities. These concerns are reiterated by Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, highlighting expedition of action against those who misuse their power and manipulate system loopholes.
