WICHITA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission has fined a Wichita City Council member for using his government computer to send an e-mail supporting a friend’s campaign.
The commission fined Michael O’Donnell $500 on Wednesday. O’Donnell had agreed to a consent decree acknowledging that his actions violated state ethics law.
The Wichita Eagle reports that the e-mail at issue was sent by O’Donnell to 39 people on Oct. 4 during a council meeting. It was an invitation to a political fundraiser on behalf of his friend, state Sen. Garrett Love, a Republican from Montezuma.
O’Donnell on Wednesday expressed contrition for violating the ethics law. His lawyer also contended O’Donnell had not been trained on what he could and could not do on his city-issued computer.
