Gonsalves faces election law violations

The presiding officer of the Nassau County Legislature could be facing possible fines for several instances of failing to file campaign finance reports. The complaint against 13th District Legislator Norma Gonsalves comes after an investigation by the Division of Election Law Enforcement of the New York State Board of Elections.

Gonsalves said the mistakes were not intentional and has called this action politically motivated.

The complaint, filed Dec. 23 by chief enforcement counsel Risa Sugarman following a review of Board of Elections records, alleges that Friends For Norma Gonsalves, a political committee, did not file timely campaign finance disclosure reports with the Board of Elections on multiple occasions between January 2006 and March 2015.

Sugarman has accused Gonsalves and the committee’s former treasurer, Joseph Parisi, of 10 violations. In two of the instances, the committee reportedly failed to file its reports three or more times within a given election cycle — 2013 and 2015 — with each carrying a potential fine of $10,000. Gonsalves faces a total possible fine of $28,000. According to election law, both the candidate and the committee’s treasurer would be jointly responsible for the fine.

It was not revealed who brought the alleged violations to the attention of the Board of Elections, which initially revealed in February that Gonsalves had missed campaign finance filings and an investigation was beginning. “All complaints received by the Division are confidential,” Sugarman said. “The identities of complainants and the existence of particular investigations are held in the strictest confidence. The Division encourages the public to report violations of the election law.”

The case will now be assigned to hearing officer Sharon Miller, who would decide if the complaints are valid and what penalties would be imposed if Gonsalves was found to be in violation of election law. The date of the hearing has not been set. Associate Counsel John Jay S. Arnold IV will represent the state Board of Elections.

According to election law, annual campaign finance reports are due each January and June, as well as three additional reports for each contested primary and general election. Gonsalves most recently failed to file the January 2015 report on time, the complaint states.

“Our committee has been in full compliance with the law since learning of the deficiency,” Gonsalves said. “We believe this enforcement process to be flawed because the election law makes no provision for action against a Committee that has voluntarily complied. In short, what the Board of Elections is doing is partisan, misguided and without legal authority.”

Gonsalves, of East Meadow, was first elected in 1997 and was elected to her ninth term in November. Her district includes parts of East Meadow, North Merrick, North Bellmore, North Wantagh and Seaford. She became the presiding officer in 2012.