Minnesota's Republican Party is so cash-strapped that it has opted to pay a $26,900 fine in four installments instead of paying the full amount by the mid-August due date.
The fine was levied after investigators found the party violated campaign disclosure laws during the recount after 2010 governor's race when, under the direction of the party's former chairman, the GOP set up a shell company to handle the legal bills regarding the recount while steering donations there to avoid disclosure.
On Tuesday, the state's Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board gave the green light to a payment plan that will give the party up until the day before Election Day in November to pay.
Campaign reports show that the Minnesota GOP has almost $1.8 million in debt heading into the fall campaign.
