Update 12/26: Turns out a complaint has already been filed about Herron’s campaign finance. See note below.

Hey, remember this guy? Jason Herron, ultraconservative from Guilford who ran as a Democrat in the August primary and lost to real Democrat Zon Eastes?

Well, Mr. Herron apparently checked out after his loss, because he has yet to file any campaign finance reports since August 1. And his last report constitutes an egregious violation of state law.

As of August 1, Herron had reported spending $7,565 and raising zero dollars. That’s right, he reported no donations to his campaign and did not identify the source of his cash.

After August 1, Herron filed three separate Mass Media expenditure reports: $500 to J and B’s Curbside Café and two identical filings reporting $2,229 spent at Staples for postcards and mailing. If you give him the benefit of the doubt for sloppy reporting, he spent $2,729 after August 1. If you take his filings at face value, which is how the law works, then he spent a total of $4,458 at Staples for a post-August 1 total of $4,958.

Which brings his total campaign spending to either $10,294 or $12,023. Which is a hell of a lot for a House primary contest.

And his fundraising remains at an officially reported zero.

Now, it would be perfectly legal for him to dip into his own pockets (he probably has the money, since he’s the son of a former CEO of Entergy Nuclear), but he is obligated to report loans or gifts from himself or his family, and he did not.

That’s a blatant violation of campaign finance law. Fortunately for Herron, that law is infamously permissive regarding penalties. Probably has something to do with the fact that the law was written by elected officials who have to follow it or risk legal jeopardy for failing to do so.

In sheer dollars, Herron’s transgression isn’t nearly as big as that of lieutenant governor-elect John Rodgers, who reported spending $68,120 more than he raised. But percentage-wise, Herron can’t be beat. Rodgers overspent his reported funds by 31.5%. Herron overspent his by infinity percent.

It’s one more deception from a campaign that was thoroughly deceptive from the getgo. Herron ran as a Democrat because, as he himself said, the Republican brand is fatally tarnished in the minds of Vermont voters.

Democratic losers like Katherine Sims and Chris Bray and Mark MacDonald would beg to differ, but whatever floats his conspiratorialist boat.

The Secretary of State’s office is legally responsible for collecting and making public all campaign finance reports, but has no staff or legal mechanism for fact-checking the filings. The Attorney General’s office has the legal authority to investigate violations, but it only does so upon receiving a complaint.

I’d suggest that someone down Windham way should take that step, because (1) there ought to be consequences, even if they amount to little more than embarrassment, for violating the law, and (2) I doubt that Herron is going anywhere. He has repeatedly made a spectacle of himself at Guilford select board meetings, and I wouldn’t put it past him to make another run for House. Maybe as a Progressive next time.

Update. Outgoing Rep. Sara Coffey is already on the case. She filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office in November, against Herron and two of his Windham County ticketmates: Dale and Nancy Gassett. The Brattleboro Reformer story about her complaint includes some dismaying comments from the AGO. Leslie Welts, the AG’s General Counsel, confirmed the complaint but could not provide any details because they are confidential under state law.

Score another one for our state lawmakers, who are always quick to protect themselves from public embarrassment, even when it’s warranted.

Welts also said violators could be subject to fines of up to $10,000 a violation and even six months in jail, but that the AGO’s approach is to bring people into compliance rather than to punish them. And the only time a case is disclosed publicly at all is if it goes to court, which seems to be an extremely rare event.

Yep, folks. It’s closed doors and locked boxes all around.