$426G hit for pro-charter-school group

ALBANY — A pro-charter-school group that is active in New York politics was hit with a record fine in Massachusetts after being accused of hiding the identities of its donors.

Families for Excellent Schools-Advocacy was fined $426,466 fine and forced to reveal its donors by the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance.

According to the Boston Globe, the group had spent $15 million in support of a ballot push to expand charter schools in Massachusetts in 2016 — an effort that failed.

Under law, nonprofits are not necessarily required to disclose their donors unless they are involved directly in political activity, which Massachusetts ruled that Families was.

The fine is the largest ever handed out in the 44-year history of the campaign office.

Families for Excellent Schools-Advocacy has denied any wrongdoing. The nonprofit organization has routinely been among the biggest spending lobby groups in New York.