"Norfolk County Sheriff Patrick McDermott has agreed to pay a hefty civil forfeiture after state regulators determined he unlawfully spent tens of thousands of dollars in campaign funds to further his "personal business future.""
"According to the agreement, those expenditures included a "media relations course and consult" and teleprompter software."
"In a lengthy statement included in the agreement, he explained he's regularly invited to speak to local investment groups and organizations about real estate, and his personal social media accounts "are often used as a hook to attract conversation with these groups.""
"However, McDermott clarified he has never accepted compensation for these speaking engagements - "rather, I saw these as additional opportunities to gain political supporters for future political aspirations.""
Norfolk County Sheriff Patrick McDermott agreed to pay $7,500 in personal funds, nearly $29,000 from his campaign committee, and to forgive a $10,000 candidate loan after regulators alleged misuse of campaign funds. The Office of Campaign and Political Finance identified over $31,000 in suspect payments from 2022–2024, citing incomplete documentation and expenditures benefiting his defunct real estate holding company or him personally. Expenditures included a "media relations course and consult," teleprompter software, a $5,650 donation and fundraiser for a nonprofit he started, and $225 at BJ's for food at a real estate meeting. McDermott promotes himself as "a coach and mentor to real estate professionals" and said he has not accepted payment for speaking engagements.
Read at Boston.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]