CALGARY—More than $18,000 in fines were issued this week to the political action committee Energize Alberta for providing illicit contributions to Jeff Callaway’s “kamikaze” campaign during the 2017 United Conservative Party leadership race.

The Office of the Election Commissioner issued six fines totalling $18,373 on Tuesday against Energize Alberta, with each fine matching a contribution the office found the group to have made. These contributions ranged from $573 to $6,300.

As a “prohibited entity” under the Elections Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act, and because they weren’t registered as a third-party political advertiser, Energize Alberta was not allowed to offer financial contributions to any registered leadership candidate, like Callaway.

According to the province’s corporate registry, Eugene Chen, Earl Connors, Jeff Fortin and Robyn Lore are listed as directors of Energize Alberta.

Lore was also connected to Callaway’s leadership campaign through his company Agropyron Enterprises Ltd. A report from the election commissioner’s office obtained by the Star in August described how Callaway allegedly fuelled his UCP leadership bid with $60,000 in illicit donations that can be traced back to a company called Agropyron — a potential violation of election rules.

This week’s fines come after the Office of the Election Commissioner announced 24 fines back on July 17 totalling $70,000 against Callaway, including a $15,000 penalty for colluding with Lore to “circumvent a contribution limit.”

Elections commissioner Lorne Gibson’s investigation into Callaway’s leadership bid, which began last year, found it was used by now-Premier Jason Kenney’s team to undermine former Wildrose Party leader Brian Jean, a rival for Kenney during the leadership race. The investigation found Kenney’s team supplied Callaway with attack ads, speeches and talking points, along with a timeline of when to drop out of the race and endorse Kenney.

Kenney has since denied the allegations that he had any hand in organizing or funding Callaway’s campaign.

The election commissioner’s investigation into Callaway’s campaign has resulted in more than $180,000 in fines.

Allegations around Callaway’s campaign have not been proven in court.

Callaway’s court application is scheduled to be heard on Sept. 9, 2020.

With files from Trevor Howell

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