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Ahlquist to amend financial disclosure report after paying family member

Ahlquist to amend financial disclosure report after paying family member
Posted at 11:25 AM, Feb 02, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-02 13:25:41-05

A prominent Idaho Republican gubernatorial candidate says he will submit an amended campaign financial disclosure report after it showed he paid a family member with campaign funds.

Idaho law allows candidates to pay relatives and spouses with campaign cash -- but Boise businessman Tommy Ahlquist has promised to ban candidate family members from accessing such funds if elected governor.

Ahlquist reported paying his son-in-law $20,000 for wages in his latest campaign disclosure funds, which was released Wednesday.

Campaign manager David Johnston said Friday that Matthew Rabe was paid out of Ahlquist's personal bank account.

Johnston says the payment should have been reported as an in-kind contribution and not as a campaign expenditure.

Ahlquist is running against U.S. Rep. Raul Labrador and Lt. Gov. Brad Little in the open Republican gubernatorial primary election.

(by Kimberlee Kruesi, Associated Press)