Ex-senator to pay $112,524 for misuse of campaign donations
The legislator who made a name for himself by criticizing the police was secretly misusing his own campaign funds at the same time over and over.
He bought flowers, clothing and accessories, toys, tires and tickets to sporting events and the theater, an investigation found. He paid for household and vehicle repairs as well as medical and dental bills.
In April, Kyle Loveless, R-Oklahoma City, resigned in disgrace from the state Senate after those improper personal expenses and others were found in bank records.
On Friday, he signed a settlement agreement with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission acknowledging he misused more than $100,000 in donations to his 2012 and 2016 campaigns.
Later this month, he will be charged in Oklahoma County District Court. Under a plea deal made with prosecutors, he will be sentenced to probation.
He has agreed to make restitution for his personal use of campaign funds — a $112,524 upfront payment to the state’s general revenue fund.
The former senator also has agreed to never again hold any position, elected or otherwise, paid for by public funds and to never become a state lobbyist.
He further agreed to never act as a paid political consultant “for any state, local, county, municipal or school district campaign” in Oklahoma. Loveless has worked as a political consultant in the past.
He will pay an additional $40,000 to the Oklahoma State Election Board to cover the cost of the special election to fill his vacant seat. The special primary election for the Senate District 45 seat is Aug. 8. The special general election is Nov. 14.
He will pay $10,000 to the Oklahoma Ethics Commission for the costs of its investigation of him. He will donate any money left in his 2016 campaign account to the state general revenue fund.
Loveless resigned April 27, two days after his defense attorney met with District Attorney David Prater about the accusations.
“I tender this resignation with much regret. Mistakes I have made are the responsibility of no one other than myself,” Loveless wrote.
Loveless, 43, became one of the more visible legislators at the Capitol after taking office in 2012. He was in the spotlight primarily because of his outspoken criticism of civil forfeiture laws that allow police to seize cash during a traffic stop even when no drugs are found.
He called the laws un-American and sought to change them, angering police and prosecutors.
Senate District 45 stretches across south Oklahoma City from Mustang to Valley Brook. He first ran for that Senate district seat in 2008 but lost in a runoff election. He ran unopposed in 2012 — a rarity in Oklahoma politics. He won re-election in 2016 in the primary election.
The Oklahoma Ethics Commission voted in November to begin an investigation of his 2012 and 2016 campaigns. The Ethics Commission on Friday voted 4-0 to approve the settlement agreement.
In signing the settlement agreement, Loveless acknowledged Friday he had violated a dozen ethics rules. Those included filing multiple campaign reports excessively late, not filing some reports at all and not being accurate in what he disclosed.
Legislators are allowed to use donations both to finance their campaigns and, if elected, to pay for “officeholder expenses.” They are not allowed to use campaign funds to cover any personal expenses.