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Lawrence mayor Daniel Rivera (City of Lawrence)

An organization that led an unsuccessful effort to recall the mayor of Lawrence has been cited by state campaign finance regulators for failing to properly disclose its political campaign.

The "Foundation for Transparency in Government" is facing possible referral to the state Attorney General for a particularly ironic allegation, according to a letter sent by the state's Office of Campaign and Political Finance: that it did not disclose its political activities when it launched a campaign against Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera last year.

"Based on our review of activity, we have concluded that the Foundation's failure to organize in a timely manner as a PAC and disclose its financial activity violated the campaign finance law," the letter said.

The committee also is facing a claim that it received an illegal corporate contribution by using a company's conference room and failing to promptly pay for the space after being told to do so by state regulators.

The bid to recall Rivera, which was led in part by a police officer who he attempted to fire for pocketing funds that should have gone to the city, led to court challenges over the petition and did not succeed in forcing a new election, according to the Valley Patriot.

The anti-Rivera group did not initially disclose any of its political funding and claimed it was exempt due to being a volunteer group, according to a story last year in the Eagle-Tribune

But that explanation has not satisfied state regulators, who sent a letter on Monday accusing the group of flouting campaign finance law.

The foundation owes $1,200 to the Merrimack Valley newspaper Rumbo for an ad supporting the recall, and $400 to Gino Mills, LLC, for the use of its conference room, OCPF said.

And while the group told OCPF it was a "loosely organized" group that largely met in private homes to organize the recall petition, the agency wrote that its efforts clearly fell within laws mandating disclosure for political campaigns.

"When the Foundation began meeting as a group, receiving donations of t-shirts and incurring liabilities for meeting space and a newspaper ad, it violated [campaign finance law] by failing to first organize as a PAC with OCPF," the letter said.

Rafael Guzman, the group's chair, and Louis Farrah, the group's attorney, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

OCPF wrote that the group has addressed some complaints by organizing as a political action committee and disclosing its activities. But the agency warned that if the outstanding bills are not paid by May 31, it could refer the matter to the Attorney General's office.