Campaign finance regulators in Massachusetts have delivered a slap on the wrist to Hampden County Sheriff Michael Ashe.
Ashe’s committee last year put about $58,000 in a mutual fund. That’s “strictly prohibited,” according to the Office of Campaign and Political Finance.
Ashe’s campaign treasurer Jim Tremble says the investment was his decision and says he didn’t know about the rule.
“Both the sheriff and I were upset that in his term something like that would happen and we were afraid of very negative responses,” Tremble says. “And, of course, the campaign finance office was anything but that. They were very cordial. They were easy to work with. They saw what had happened and they helped us correct it.”
The campaign finance office says it considers the matter closed. One reason: it acknowledges it hasn’t specifically publicized the ban on mutual funds. Also, hinting that the market already delivered punishment, the office notes that Ashe lost some $3,700 on the investment.
The sheriff, who is not running again in 2016, uses his campaign fund to donate to charities and other politicians.