Fines issued to Scott Beard of Abilene’s Fountaingate Fellowship and two pastors follow reporting from ProPublica and The Texas Tribune that revealed the churches donated to his campaign for local office despite state and federal prohibitions.
Kristin Postell, an Abilene attorney who filed a complaint with the commission about Beard’s actions, said she was pleased with the fines levied against him. Given the severity of his actions, she believed the churches should pay less than him. But Postell said such low fines are not sufficient deterrents for violators.
“I don’t think anybody is going to be super cautious about following the rules unless there is a real financial burden to breaking them,” Postell said.
Under state law, violations are punishable by up to $5,000, or triple the amount at issue, whichever is greater, and a third-degree felony charge. (No criminal charges were brought in these cases.) J.R. Johnson, the commission’s executive director, declined to comment and did not answer questions about whether the fines were sufficient.
If the fine is less than the amount of donations received, then it just becomes just another cost of doing business.
One lawyer stated the salient point, anyway.
So the fine is lower than prescribed by the law regardless of which amount it was?
Correct.
Clergy get away with so much horrible shit just by being clergy.