Embarrasing

Boston, MA – The Massachusetts Republican Party today issued the following statement as part of on ongoing effort to expose Rep. Paul Kujawski’s failed record on Beacon Hill.

MassGOP Communications Director Barney Keller said, “This is one of many times in which Paul Kujawski put himself above the law. He has abused the trust put in him by his constituents so many times, that it’s hard to keep track. If we keep sending the same people back to Beacon Hill we will continue to get the same results, which is exactly why the people of the 8^th Worcester District should toss out Rep. Kujawski and replace him with Kevin Kuros.”

The Kujawski Files – Admitted To Violating Campaign Finances Laws In 2007

Paul Kujawski Admitted To Violating Campaign Finance Law: “State Rep. Paul Kujawski has agreed to pay nearly $17,000 and change his practices after admitting he violated state campaign finance laws between 2001-03, Attorney General Thomas Reilly said Friday. The settlement with the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance and Reilly's office resolves issues including alleged personal use of campaign funds, failure to keep proper records and acceptance of excess contributions from political action committees. Kujawski, D-Webster, also admitted to violating a 2001 agreement that had resolved early campaign finance charges.” (AP, 1/13/07)

Kujawski used campaign money to pay for the his own car and for clothing: “Kujawski will pay a $2,500 civil forfeiture to the state and reimburse his campaign committee more than $14,000, partially for personal automobile use and travel, clothing, cleaning and meal expenditures. Kujawski has said the automobile use and clothing and cleaning expenses were for personal use, but denied the travel and meal expenditures were, according to a press release from Reilly's office. His campaign committee also will refund, without admitting guilty, $500 to two PACs. In 2002, Kujawski's committee exceeded the $7,500 limit of PAC contributions allowed, taking $10,700, according to Reilly's office. Most excess contributions already had been refunded.” (AP, 1/13/07)

Spent Money on “Everything from Red Sox Tickets to furniture and business suits.”: One of Beacon Hill's most free-spending politicians has been hit with a $10,000 fine after dipping into his campaign account for everything from Red Sox tickets to furniture and business suits. Representative Paul Kujawski, a Webster Democrat, could not provide documentation that $20,000 in spending was related to his political operation, the attorney general and the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance said yesterday. Kujawski, who receives generous political donations from the insurance industry, has been under scrutiny for his campaign record-keeping and for paying his personal credit card bills through his political account. Kujawski has "very, very few records to back up any of the reported expenditures," said Brad Balzer, deputy director of the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, which referred the case to Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly's office. Massachusetts law requires that campaign account expenditures be restricted to political purposes - in other words, spending that enhances a candidate's political standing. Though the statute is interpreted broadly, candidates must document that they are not using the money for personal expenditures. Yesterday, Kujawski continued to insist that his expenditures were proper, and said he is paying a steep price for poor bookkeeping. He said that many expenses were related to the upkeep of a district office in Uxbridge. Others, he said, were "to advance my political career." "I bought a couple of suits at one point, strictly for work," Kujawski said. "I've been a good representative of the district." According to the agreement with the attorney general's office, Kujawski will also hire an accountant to review campaign reports for the next five years. (Boston Globe, 8/25/01)