ANTI-DRUG GROUP VIOLATED CAMPAIGN-FINANCE LAWS

KANNAPOLIS -- Citizens for a Drug-Free Kannapolis violated state
campaign-finance laws by accepting anonymous donations.

At a Jan.7 organizational meeting at Eastwood Baptist Church, organizers
passed baskets around to collect donations. Some people placed checks in
the baskets, but others dropped in cash.

N.C. statutes prohibit anonymous donations, and a regulation specifically
forbids pass-the-hat contributions.

Any money collected that way must be sent to the State Board of Elections
and deposited in North Carolina's general fund.

As of that night, the group had collected $3,946, much of it from churches,
said treasurer Harry Puckett. He said he discovered the error when talking
to a State Board of Elections employee who was calling about the group's
organizational report.

Puckett said Thursday he was not yet sure how much money the group would
send back.

The group opposes the alcohol sales proposal in the March 5 election.