Spending Report Raises Questions Rankin Accuses Macdonald Primary Donators Of ‘Money Laundering’

Kootenai County Commissioner Bob Macdonald spent twice what he originally claimed in his failed re-election bid this spring.

The two-term Republican - who lost a May primary race to tax watchdog Ron Rankin - pumped $12,257 into his campaign, according to an amended financial disclosure report filed this week. Earlier reports indicated Macdonald had spent only $6,175.

Macdonald maintains the error was little more than a bookkeeping mishap.

“When it came time to make out the report, I sat down with my receipts and the checkbook and wrote out what I had,” he said. “I made a mistake.”

But Rankin, who filed an initial complaint about the discrepancy, said the new report raised more questions than it answered.

The revised disclosure form reveals that Concerned Businesses of North Idaho - a network of area business leaders - gave Macdonald $2,000.

A donation that size requires the group to register as a political action committee, said County Clerk Dan English.

Concerned Businesses Director Steve Judy said he did not think the group was registered, but added he was not aware it needed to be. If so, he said, it was an honest mistake.

“If it’s something that needs to be rectified, we’ll do it right away,” he said.

Rankin also questioned a claim on the form that C & P Associates, an advertising and financial agency run by Commissioner Dick Compton’s daughter, Debra Compton, gave Macdonald $2,379 in in-kind contributions.

Rankin suspects a donor or donors who wished to remain anonymous paid Compton for those ads. If true, that would be a violation of state disclosure laws and could result in a $250 fine.

“There’s no way she would donate more than Concerned Businesses,” Rankin said. “This just stinks to high heaven.”

Debra Compton was unavailable for comment Friday, but Macdonald said he did not believe Rankin’s assertion was true.

“I reported it the way I understood it,” Macdonald said. “She gave me the money.”

English is still reviewing the matter but said there was no indication Macdonald or Compton misled anyone.

“It wasn’t the best instance of good record keeping or reporting, but that’s a long way from thinking someone willfully tried to disguise something,” English said.

Rankin said he intends to push the prosecutor’s office Monday to investigate the matter.

“What it is is money laundering,” Rankin said. “They’ve got people out in the bushes who don’t want their names used so they say Debbie bought the ads.”

, DataTimes