Oklahoma Senate PAC agrees to pay fines to state, dissolve

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An influential political action committee that has helped elect Republicans to the Oklahoma Senate has agreed to dissolve and pay a fine of more than $60,000 to the state after an investigation revealed multiple state campaign finance rule violations.

The Republican Senatorial Committee entered into a settlement agreement Friday with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission. The PAC officials acknowledged accepting more than $35,000 of impermissible contributions from corporations or contributions earmarked for a specific candidate or candidate committee. Both contributions violate state ethics rules.

Glenn Coffee, the former Republican leader of the Senate and now an attorney representing the PAC, declined to comment on the settlement.

Under the agreement, the PAC agreed to pay $37,750 to the state’s general fund, an amount equal to the impermissible contributions it accepted, plus another $25,000 in civil penalties. PAC officials also agreed to dissolve the committee and dispose of any remaining assets.