Cheh Cleared by Review of Former Opponent's Allegations

The D.C. Office of Campaign Finance dismissed allegations yesterday that D.C. Council member Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3) did not properly report some expenditures and contributions during her campaign last year.

A 29-page report by the campaign office said that an investigation of the complaints by Jonathan R. Rees, an opponent in the 2006 Ward 3 council election, found one minor violation: Cheh's campaign, without her knowledge, failed to identify who paid for a handbill. The penalty for that violation is $500, but it was suspended.

"The respondent's status as a first time office seeker in the District of Columbia, with no prior history with the Office of Campaign Finance, provides good cause for suspension of the fine," according to the order by Cecily E. Collier-Montgomery, director of the office.

One focus of the investigation was whether Cheh's campaign accepted reduced-price office space from a prominent developer. Officials also interviewed several Cheh supporters in an effort to determine whether an unregistered political action committee solicited campaign contributions to support her candidacy.

The investigation, which started in February, did not substantiate Rees's claims, according to the Campaign Finance Office.

"I am pleased to have been given a clean bill of health," Cheh said yesterday.

Cheh said she was outraged about the time and money spent by the city because "one misguided individual, Jonathan Rees, thought he could make mischief." Cheh said Rees should have to repay the city for the waste of time resulting from his "malicious charges."

The allegations of an unregistered political action committee involved D.C. Attorney General Linda Singer, her husband, Joe Sternlieb, and 21 other Ward 3 residents.

Collier-Montgomery said the group did not operate as a political action committee under city code. After conducting several interviews, campaign finance officials concluded that the group formed to determine the best qualified candidate and did not "constitute the on-going efforts of a political committee."

The complaint about the office rental alleged that the Cheh campaign paid less than other tenants for prime space in a building on Wisconsin Avenue NW.

The investigation found that PN Hoffman leased office space to the campaign at fair market value, based on the property's vacancy and the amount charged the previous tenant.

Rees said yesterday, "I have already told the OCF that I would not appeal their decision."