Rep. Jordan’s campaign faces finance questions

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Election Commission on Tuesday asked local U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan’s campaign committee to explain large accounting discrepancies between reports it filed several years ago and corrected reports the committee filed earlier this year. Many of the discrepancies exceeded $100,000, and one exceeded $900,000. The campaign says no money was ever missing from its accounts, and blames the inconsistencies on troubles adjusting to skyrocketing donations as Jordan’s national profile grew.

Jordan represents Ohio’s 4th congressional district which includes Champaign, Logan, Shelby, Auglaize, and part of Mercer and several other counties.

Several March 2 letters from the FEC ask Jordan’s campaign to explain:

■ An increase in disbursements totaling $122,706.60 on its 2018 post-general election report.

■ A decrease in disbursements totaling $130,319.97 on a report of the campaign’s income and expenses during the final weeks of 2018.

■ A decrease in receipts totaling $111,950.54 on Jordan’s campaign finance report for the first quarter of 2019.

■ An increase in disbursements totaling $38,822.23 and a decrease in receipts totaling $164,342.47 on a report of the campaign’s income and expenses in the second quarter of 2019.

■ An increase in disbursements totaling $37,784.91 and a decrease in receipts totaling $176,910.06 on a 2019 report that covered campaign expenses between July and September.

■ An increase in receipts totaling $144,562.79 on its year end report for 2019.

■ A decrease in receipts totaling $56,995.48 and a decrease in disbursements totaling $502,687.65 on a 2020 pre-primary report that covered January 1 through

February 26.

■ An increase in receipts totaling $67,364.90 and a $16,505.97 decrease in disbursements on a 2020 pre-primary report that covered early April.

■ An increase in disbursements totaling $335,502.36 on its 2020 April quarterly report.

■ An increase in receipts totaling $558,726.12 on a 2020 quarterly report that covered expenses from April 9 through June 30, and a decrease in disbursements totaling $911,530.36.

Each letter gives Jordan’s campaign until early April to respond, and says failure to do so “could result in an audit or enforcement action.”