State officials fine Nashville council member Jonathan Hall $360K for 36 campaign finance violations

Jonathan Hall

by Cassandra Stephenson, The Tennessean, Jan. 13, 2022 - Metro Council member Jonathan Hall is liable for $360,000 in civil penalties for three dozen campaign finance transgressions, state ethics and campaign finance officials decided Thursday.

Hall, who represents District 1, failed to file multiple mandatory financial reports on time — or at all — during election cycles in 2018 and 2019, according to a letter sent to Hall in December by Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance Executive Director Bill Young. (read more)

Rod's Comment: If one is considering running for the Metro Council or School Board or any other elected position, do not take lightly the rules regarding campaign finance.  Running for public office is serious business. The best policy, if one can afford it, is to hire an accountant to file your reports. Next, is to find a supporter to be your campaign manager and have him file the reports and he becomes responsible for the accuracy of the reports. If you are operating a do-it-yourself low-budget campaign, as I was when I ran for Council, spend time before you raise or spend the first dollar making sure you understand the rules of campaign finance and the financial filing calendar. There are a lot of things to know.  One thing you need to know is the difference between borrowing from yourself to fund your campaign and simply spending your own money on your campaign. One should know the difference between soliciting a bribe and legitimately asking someone to make a campaign contribution.  

I don't know if Jonathan Hall did anything wrong or not.  He seems like a good person. He may have simply been sloppy.  Unfortunately being sloppy can cost one a lot of money and may even put one in jail. 

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