GOP files new complaint against Horner

Tom Horner

After its complaint to the state campaign finance board was rejected last week, the Republican Party of Minnesota is trying again: It filed a complaint with the state’s Office of Administrative Hearings Thursday, alleging that Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner received survey results from a polling firm early, and that such a deal should count as an in-kind campaign contribution.

A poll by Decision Resources released earlier this month showed Horner garnering nearly 20 percent of the vote. The GOP’s complaint charges that the firm, run by a Horner supporter (and possible client of Horner’s former PR firm) Bill Morris, gave the campaign access to the poll results before they were publicly available, which the GOP says raises “deeply troubling questions.” The complaint states the monetary value of the polling data “likely exceeds $26,500.” If the data was turned over for free, the complaint continues, the transaction violates state statute.

Horner has denied the GOP’s claims.

According to the Star Tribune, the GOP has asked for an expedited hearing on the matter, which will include a review of GOP-submitted blog posts, emails and Twitter updates. The campaign finance board rejected the GOP’s complaint last week, stating that it didn’t have jurisdiction in the matter.

Read the complaint:

GOP Horner complaint