§ 17-25-16 - Enjoining of illegal acts – Forfeiture of contributions.
SECTION 17-25-16
§ 17-25-16 Enjoining of illegal acts– Forfeiture of contributions. – (a) Whenever the board of elections has reason to believe that a candidate,political party committee, or political action committee, or the campaigntreasurer or deputy campaign treasurer of the candidate or committee, hasaccepted a contribution or made an expenditure in violation of the provisionsof this chapter, or willfully and knowingly has made a false statement in anyof the reports required under this chapter or failed to file any report, or hasotherwise violated this chapter, the board may, in addition to all otheractions authorized by law, request the attorney general to bring an action inthe name of the state of Rhode Island in the superior court against the personand/or committee to enjoin them from continuing the violation, or doing anyacts in furtherance of the violation, and for any other relief that the courtdeems appropriate. In addition, the court may order the forfeiture of any orall contributions accepted in violation of and/or not reported as required bythis chapter. All contributions so forfeited shall become the property of thestate.
(b) The court shall also impose a civil penalty not exceedingthree (3) times the amount of:
(1) Contributions made or accepted in violation of thischapter;
(2) Expenditures made in violation of this chapter; and/or
(3) Contributions or expenditures not reported as required bythis chapter.
(c) All funds collected pursuant to this section shall bedeposited in the fund established for the public financing of the electoralsystem pursuant to this chapter.