Eastman accuses LeDoux, Seaton of violating campaign funding rules

An official complaint filed last week alleges a pair state lawmakers vying for reelection violated state campaign fundraising laws by passing money back and forth between their campaigns and committees.

The expedited complaint, filed by Rep. David Eastman (R-Wasilla) against Reps. Gabrielle LeDoux, (R-Anchorage), and Rep. Paul Seaton, a former Republican from Homer, who is running as nonpartisan in the Democrat party, alleges the pair donated $5,000 back and forth between two political action committees and their respective campaigns in an attempt, the complaint says, to “obscure the source of the monies involved” and have resulted in “illegal contributions.” The complaint was filed Aug. 15 with the Alaska Public Offices Commission (APOC).

Eastman chairs the Alaska Conservative Leadership PAC, while LeDoux chairs Common Sense Conservatives PAC. Seaton chairs the Sustain Alaska Fund PAC.

In the complaint, Eastman writes that LeDoux’s PAC, which had previously been called Gabby’s Tuesday PAC, as well as Seaton’s PAC and the campaigns passed back and forth $1,000 contributions in an attempt to hide where the money was coming from.

And while the total amount sent was low, only $5,000, Eastman warns in the complaint that such a system gives a quick and easy way to hide campaign funds.

“These candidates may choose at any time to create additional PACs for this purpose,” the complaint states. “The function of these transactions was to enable the movement of money from persons who could not, by law, contribute to Gabrielle LeDoux’s and Paul Seaton’s, respectively.”

LeDoux dismissed the complaint as a distraction.

“I have no comment other than that I believe this complaint will ultimately be dismissed,” she said in an email. “I have asked and received advice from APOC staff virtually every step of the way with respect to this PAC. I believe this complaint was filed simply to divert my attention from my re-election campaign.”

Both LeDoux and Seaton came under heavy scrutiny from the state’s Republican party when they formed a coalition with State House Democrats. That controversy resulted in a contested Republican primary race for LeDoux in District 15 and Seaton’s switch to a nonpartisan candidate with the Democratic party for District 31.

Officials with APOC did not return requests for an update on the status of the complaint.