UCP RACE GETS UGLY
Hotly-contested nomination
A hotly contested United Conservative Party nomination race has bubbled over into accusations of mudslinging, a board member resignation and allegations of “intimidation” made against a sitting MLA.
That MLA, Angela Pitt, shakes her head at the timing.
In an interview Wednesday with Postmedia News, Pitt labelled the kerfuffle “silliness trying to tarnish my name” as she fights for the UCP nomination in the new riding of Airdrie-East.
The issue stems from $16,000 transferred from the local Wildrose Party constituency association to a political action committee (PAC) called the Alberta Fund late last year.
The NDP government changed election finance rules for thirdparty advertisers, or PACs. They must now register with Elections Alberta and disclose donations if they advertise, and are banned from selling party memberships, giving mailing lists to a political party or promoting a candidate.
Elections Alberta confirmed there’s nothing preventing constituency associations from transferring money to a registered third party, as long as the transfer doesn’t violate new collusion provisions.
THE PAC PICKLE
The Alberta Fund spent $30,114 on advertising last year, according to documents lodged with Elections Alberta.
But its chief financial officer, David Yager, told Postmedia the election finance rule changes dashed its hopes to become a fully fledged PAC.
He said the Alberta Fund has no spending plans for the 2019 provincial election.
He also wants to return money, but in a classic Catch-22, he — like every other Albertan — is limited to a total of $4,000 in party or candidate donations.
“I can’t do anything with it,” he said.
Yager said some money has been donated to charity, but he’s scratching his head about what to do with the rest.
The Alberta Fund reported it had about $8,800 left as of Dec. 31, 2017.
TRANSFER TIFF
The Airdrie Wildrose constituency association remains registered, but recorded zero revenues in its most recent fiscal report as it works to wind down after the Wildrose-Progressive Conservative merger and boost the local UCP board.
Rick Northey resigned from that UCP board Monday via a strongly worded email sent to fellow board members.
He told Postmedia on Wednesday he was unhappy with what he maintains is a secretive cash transfer, and accused Pitt of “outright intimidation” in trying to get him to stop asking questions about it.
Pitt dismissed his claim, attributing his resignation to the fact he is managing the campaign for Roger Millions, who is running against Pitt for the Airdrie-East nomination.
The nomination meeting is scheduled for June 20.