N.C. GOP must repay $100G illegal donation

By MARTHA WAGGONER
Associated Press Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- The state Republican Party must repay a $100,000 illegal contribution from a national group - and the group must pay a $10,000 fine - under a consent agreement reached Wednesday with the state Elections Board.

The Republican State Leadership Committee - a group formed to help elect GOP state legislators, attorneys general and lieutenant governors - borrowed the money from Wachovia bank a day before setting up in North Carolina in October.

The organization then donated the cash to the N.C. Senatorial Trust, which works to elect Republican state senators; the trust passed it along to the state Republican Party.

State Democrats filed a complaint.

Under state law, political committees in North Carolina can take donations only from individuals and other political organizations.

Not only in Texas.