Outgoing GOP senator faces scrutiny over campaign finance report

Outgoing state Sen. Branden Petersen, R-Andover, faces a state inquiry over two reimbursements to himself from his campaign account totaling $6,000.

Petersen, who announced in late September that he would leave the Senate, was nine months late in filing his 2014 campaign finance report when he announced his resignation. In the same week, he paid the maximum fine — $2,000 — for the late filing, but not before the matter had been referred to the state's attorney general's office for civil proceedings.

At issue are reimbursements that Gary Goldsmith, executive director for the campaign finance board, said in September were vague. Goldsmith said his staff initially sought further information about the reimbursements, but he stressed the inquiry was informal and didn't indicate wrongdoing. Petersen, he said, simply needed to itemize the reimbursements.

In a description for the reimbursements, Petersen wrote they were "expenses of serving in public office." Those expenses included transportation, Internet and TV, according to the report. Goldsmith said the type of expenses legislators can incur while serving in office are broad and can include services for constituents, and cellphones for a candidate's use.

Petersen did not return a message Friday for comment.

Goldsmith did not provide further information about the inquiry, saying the matter is confidential until the board acts, at which point more information would be made public.

Petersen, first elected to the House in 2010, has a history of being late to file campaign finance reports. Records show his Senate and House campaign committees have been fined more than $11,000 since 2010. He explained the late 2014 filing to being "lax on the follow-up."

Petersen, 29, said previously that his decision to resign was financially motivated, saying last summer that the low pay for legislators and time commitment made it difficult to serve. Legislators earn $31,140 annually, plus health benefits, a pension plan and a daily stipend for living expenses during sessions.

Petersen said it was tough to find a job that would give him several months off to legislate. He said that as he enters his prime earning years, he'd like a secure job to provide for his family. He has a wife and three small children. He now sells cars at an Elk River dealership.

His last day is Oct. 31.

Ricardo Lopez • 651-925-5044