Kirk returns corporate campaign contributions

MOUNT VERNON – A candidate for the Mount Vernon City School Board who accepted campaign contributions from corporate donors has returned the money and said he intends to make all the necessary corrections.


Campaign finance records show Robert Kirk returned a total of $1,250 in donations to four different businesses on Friday. In Ohio, it is an unclassified misdemeanor for a political candidate to accept money from a corporation or business, carrying a maximum possible jail sentence of one year and/or maximum fine of $1,000.


Records show he accepted a $500 contribution from Ellis Brothers Concrete, $250 from Custom Cutters, $250 from Robertson Trucking and $250 from another limited liability corporation.


Kirk said he accepted the money unwittingly and did not realize it violated the law. When that was brought to his attention, he began returning it.


“I can assure you that I’m a human being,” he said. “I made that mistake. It was corrected and done… I have made a mistake and I’m honorable enough to recognize that.”


So far, no one has filed a formal complaint against Kirk with the Ohio Elections Commission, according to the agency’s executive director, Phillip Richter.


“The commission cannot start considering any matter until a complaint is filed with us,” he said.


The Mount Vernon City Law Director’s Office would not confirm or deny knowledge of the situation, or say if prosecutors planned to pursue charges.  


“We cannot comment on any potential or active investigation that the office is involved in,” said Assistant City Prosecutor Rob Broeren.


If a complaint is filed with Ohio elections officials, the soonest it could be scheduled for a hearing is Dec. 17.