Austin City Council Member Randi Shade has filed another ethics complaint against challenger Kathie Tovo.
It’s the second complaint based on an email sent by a Tovo supporter. The Shade campaign says the email should have contained a disclaimer announcing it was from Tovo’s campaign. The city’s ethics commission tossed out a similar complaint last week, saying it did not have jurisdiction over the matter.
In the new complaint, Shade says the value of the address list the email were sent to exceeded the maximum contribution allowed under city ordinance.
“After the Ethics Review Commission dismissed the complaint, I had hoped that Friday would mark the end of Randi Shade’s efforts to use various complaint processes to further her own campaign," Tovo said in a written statement. "I will not allow my attention to be diverted by such petty political tactics.”
Shade wants the city clerk to withhold $64,000 in public campaign financing from Tovo until it’s been determined whether any rules were broken.
The money comes from a city fund made up of lobbyist and candidate filing fees. Council candidates who agree to certain spending limits are eligible for the funding. Tovo was the only candidate to agree to the limits, which – ironically – freed her from the spending limits but still allowed her to collect the public money.
