Former state House District 40 candidate Julie Borrelli will pay a $705.20 fine “out of my own pocket” after a decision made Tuesday by the Alabama Ethics Commission denying her appeal on two violations but reducing her fine for a third, on which she had already made a payment.

Borrelli lost her bid to be the Republican nominee for the seat after a hotly contested primary race and runoff, where she was defeated by Cleburne County resident Chad Robertson by 21 votes.

The commission decided a third violation, which involved a campaign donation not being recorded in time after the primary election, should have been recorded as a “first offense” since two previous violations of “being one day late” had been waived.

Borrelli had made a $1,200 payment for a fine concerning the third violation, noting she tried to report the problem after receiving the donation, but the system would not allow the report because the filing qualifications automatically change going from the general election to the runoff.

“I tried to go in and submit a report, but it said I was still in daily reports,” Borrelli’s statement to the commission read. “I read through the guidelines and even tried to submit reports, but the system kept telling me I could not file. I didn’t know I needed to add weekly reports when in the runoff because they were added automatically previously.”

Borrelli said she did not have “a consultant or one with experience” helping her “so everything I do is from reading the codes from your office.”

Borrelli said she became concerned when she attempted to file another report which would not process.

“I contacted your office and they walked me through what I needed to do,” her statement to the commission read.

Borrelli explained her first two violations occurred simultaneously and the third occurred after receiving “a large donation after hours.”

“I could not figure out what to file and called as soon as your office was open the very next morning only to find out I needed to file the same night which I could not do,” her statement said. “I did not appeal that fine in time and I will pay it. If I ever run for anything again, I will not be handling my own finances.”

Since the commission had set aside the first two offenses, the delay of reporting offenses that were the subject of Tuesday’s appeal are being viewed as a second and third offense.

The fine, if treated as a second offense would be $405.20, for a total fine of $1,605.20. However, Borrelli had already paid a fine of $1,200 for the former third offense which, if treated as a first offense, would have been $300.

With the adjustment for the overpayment on what is labeled as the third offense, the total fine being issued by the commission is reduced to the $705.20 amount.

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