Blackwell, others fined for campaign violations

The Philadelphia Board of Ethics announced Wednesday that a councilwoman, a former City Council candidate and three political-action committees have been fined for accepting or giving contributions in 2011 that went above the city's annual campaign-finance limits of $2,600 per individual and $10,600 per political committee.

Here are the details on the sanctions:

Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell will pay $3,500 for accepting four contributions last year that exceeded the limits.

Bill Rubin, who ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat for the 10th Councilmanic District, will pay $700 for accepting two contributions above the limits.

The Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 1 PAC will pay a $1,000 fine for making an excessive contribution to Councilman Bobby Henon. The Steamfitter Local Union 420 PAC will also pay a $1,000 penalty for making an excessive contribution to Henon. Henon has already made a settlement deal with the board.

The Genesis IV committee will pay $2,000 for making excessive contributions to Blackwell and City Commissioner Anthony Clark. Clark has already reached a settlement agreement with the board.

The board also said Wednesday that it was working on how to proceed after a technology firm that was paid $227,000 failed to develop software to track the new lobbying requirements. For now, lobbyists will have to file their reports on paper and the board must come up with a new plan to get a system in place for lobbyists to file online and for the data to be available to the public. Adel Ebeid, the city's chief innovation officer, said he was talking with the Law Department about how the city could recover the money spent so far. n

Contact Catherine Lucey at 215-854-4172, luceyc@phillynews.com or follow @phillyclout on Twitter. Read her blog "PhillyClout" at www.phillyclout.com.