Leidiger’s speeding ticket isn’t petty

From: Jennifer Wilson
New Germany
A few days ago, it was discovered that Rep. Ernie Leidiger (R), Mayer, had reported a speeding ticket as an expenditure on his campaign reporting form. This payment from his campaign account shows up on the report as “Hennepin County, $178.”
There were only eight expenditures from his campaign, so obviously this wasn’t an oversight. In fact, Leidiger told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he didn’t see the reimbursement as a problem and that nobody had complained. He said he donates more than $1,000 to his own campaign, so paying the ticket should not be a problem.
“To me,” he said. “It seems appropriate.”
It seems that this would have never been revealed to his constituents, until an outsider saw the report on the State of Minnesota website and questioned it.
How could this possibly be appropriate? It is expressly against campaign finance rules. Now his campaign is issuing an amended report, and calling the fine “just another cost of serving.” A reimbursement will be made.
This cavalier attitude and disregard of simple rules is very troubling. I don’t know about anyone else, but if I contributed to his campaign, I sure wouldn’t want my money used to pay for his speeding ticket. I would trust that my hard-earned dollars were going to ensure the success of his campaign. It’s kind of funny, in a way, that he serves on the Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance Committee, as well as the Transportation Committee.
John Brunette, who I believe is the communications chair for Carver County Republicans Basic Political Operating Group, says that this controversy is “petty nonsense.”
I don’t think breaking laws is petty nonsense, and I don’t think this should be shrugged off as “petty nuisance.” In fact, the state’s Office of Administrative Hearings is looking into the matter.