Posted on 01/18/2005 9:38:03 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - The federal commission that distributes voting funds will decide next week whether to audit California Secretary of State Kevin Shelley's use of the money.
The four-member U.S. Election Assistance Commission will vote on the issue at a regularly scheduled meeting Jan. 27, according to a commission press release Tuesday. It would take a 3-1 majority to proceed. The panel has two Democrats and two Republicans.
The Election Assistance Commission was created by the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to administer more than $3 billion being distributed to states under the act to improve voting systems and replace outdated equipment.
California has received $180 million to date and is eligible for $170 million more. A state audit concluded last month that Shelley, a Democrat, misused some of the money, spending it on contractors who wrote speeches for him and attended partisan events.
A federal audit would look at whether Shelley used the money according to the Help America Vote Act. The state could be required to return some of the money, and distribution of the remaining $170 million could be delayed.
Could be.. but the number of probes now open may force the House Admin, Committee to look into his overall conduct and use of federal funds much more closely, or one would hope.
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