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HOUSTON (Jan. 6, 2014): Congressional District 7 candidate Lissa Squires has failed to file required financial disclosures with the House Ethics Committee during the 2012 election cycle and now faces up to $50,000 in fines and a year in jail.

“We already know that the Squires Campaign missed as many as five Federal Election Commission filing deadlines,” James Cargas said, “and now we are learning that her flaunting of election laws applies to the requirement that all congressional candidates make the same financial disclosure filings as incumbent members of Congress.” In 2012, Cargas defeated Squires in a runoff election with 58% of the vote, and he is again a candidate for the 2014 Democratic nomination

Under the Ethics in Government Act, the House Ethics Committee requires all candidates and members to make a financial disclosure no later than 30 days before the primary election. In the 2012 cycle, the primary was held on May 29, 2012, making the deadline to file April 29, 2012.

“During the last election, the House Ethics Committee made it very easy by mailing me all of the forms and instructions,” Cargas recalled. “Their website has even more information and the staff was very helpful when I called for guidance.”

Over 18 months later, the Squires Campaign has still not submitted any financial disclosures. If a candidate knowingly and willfully fails to file a statement, she can face up to $50,000 in fines and up to a year in prison.

Cargas continued, “You can be disappointed in Rep. Stockman’s recent problems with his financial disclosures, but at least he filed something! I would expect more from a person with an accounting degree.”

The Clerk of the House of Representatives posts all financial disclosures on her website for voters and reporters to review. “This is more than a legal technicality. Exposing our personal finances for voters to see is a matter of public trust,” Cargas said.

Houston Deserves Better!

James Cargas offers extensive public service experience. He has served in the U.S. House of Representatives as a deputy press secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as a law clerk, Clinton White House as an aide, and U.S. Department of Energy under Secretary Bill Richardson. He currently serves as the Senior Assistant City Attorney for Energy for the City of Houston.

For additional information on the James Cargas campaign, please visit www.JamesCargas.com