Today, Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance requested the Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) to review the campaign committee of State Rep. Michelle DuBois and her use of a PayPal account that appears to be in violation of state campaign finance law. Below is a copy of our letter to OCPF with the supporting attachments.

March 30, 2017

Michael Sullivan, Director

Office of Campaign and Political Finance

One Ashburton Pl # 411

Boston, MA 02108

Dear Mr. Sullivan,

On behalf of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, I request OCPF to review the campaign committee of State Rep. Michelle DuBois and her use of a PayPal account that appears to be in violation of state campaign finance law. (See State Rep. DuBois’ PayPal here: https://www.facebook.com/michelle.dubois.52056 and below).

OCPF’s regulations require that a political committee that solicits contributions using PayPal must request occupation and employer information from contributors giving $200 or more in a year before directing the contributors to the PayPal site. In addition, the website must require contributors to certify, with an affirmative action, that they are responsible for making payments on the credit card and that the contributor’s personal funds will be the true source of the contributions. (See November 29, 2011 Agency Action Letter: http://files.ocpf.us/pdf/actions/orrall_11.pdf). It appears Rep. DuBois’ PayPal site is in violation of both requirements.

In response to OCPF’s review of a similar case (see November 2011 Agency Review), if the committee did not receive affirmative replies for the contributions in question, those contributions must be refunded. Such contributions must be returned as part of restitution, as the monies constitute an illegal advantage.

On behalf of the members of The Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, thanks so much.

Sincerely,

Paul Diego Craney

Executive Director

Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance

MassFiscal welcomes Paul McCormick Jr. to the team as the new Deputy Finance Director. Paul previously worked at Fidelity Investments, with corporate retirement and benefit plans. He’s a political animal, though, with great campaign credentials. 

Paul graduated from Suffolk University with a degree in Criminal Justice. While at Suffolk he was president of the SU Republicans and an officer with the Massachusetts Alliance of College Republicans. He headed into Suffolk with an armload of credits from Cape Cod Community College, where he represented students on the Board of Trustees.

Carl Copeland, our political director, has a great eye for talent. Carl met Paul over the summer, when Paul was managing a State Senate race. He’s worked on a number of other races as well, including those of Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. No stranger to local politics, Paul is from Dennis, where his father is the chairman of the Board of Selectmen. We welcome him to our team. 

A few weeks back, Beacon Hill democrats muscled through a fat pay increase, with an average payout of 40%. The Speaker and Senate President were the biggest winners, with with their salaries increasing by over $80,000. The pay raise scheme was passed with very little public notice. And on top of it all, for several freshmen, the pay raise vote was their first vote.
 
We caught up with one of the freshman, Senator Julian Cyr, a guy whose pay-grab salary increase is pretty astounding and asked him why he thought he should get a hefty raise. Watch our video here. For more information on how your lawmaker fared in padding his or her own pockets, see below. Here, we’ve compiled a list of what lawmakers are eligible to make for the 2017-2018 session.