Crow Failed To Report All Donations From Event

State records show Sen. Gordon Crow failed to report nearly $5,600 in campaign contributions until four months after he’d collected them at a Hayden Lake fund-raiser with Gov. Phil Batt.

“I fouled up,” Crow, R-Hayden, said in an interview Tuesday. “I’ll take full responsibility for it.”

The secretary of state’s office, which tracks campaign reporting, hasn’t decided what to do. Under state law, late reporting carries a fine of up to $50 per day.

“We don’t take it lightly,” said Ben Ysursa, chief deputy secretary of state. “These things should have been filed back in October.”

But Ysursa said there’s no evidence of any financial wrongdoing.

“I think it had more to do with not knowing (the procedure) than with anything intentional,” Ysursa said. “Still, these are public disclosure reports, and they should be done.”

The problems stem from a “BattCrow Fundraiser” held at the Hayden Lake Country Club in October. State records show the event raised more than $8,000. After paying costs - the Ray Stone Band, the country club food and bar tab, decorations - the two campaigns split the remaining $3,400.

Campaign treasurer Jim Deffenbaugh reported that, but says he didn’t know how to report the $5,600 in expenses for the event.

So he didn’t. He simply listed enough contributors to total $1,700 - Crow’s half of the proceeds. Deffenbaugh didn’t report the $5,600, nor the 33 contributors, mostly GOP stalwarts from Coeur d’Alene and Hayden Lake.

“Ignorance is no excuse, but I was just trying to make sure at least half (of contributors) got credit,” said Deffenbaugh. “I don’t think anybody was trying to do anything wrong.”