More On Stephen Clay's Contributions From Religious Organizations

There's some peculiar things going on with campaign finance reports filed by City-County Councilor Stephen Clay (D). Last Thursday, Advance Indiana reported on questionable contributions Clay received from religious organizations, including a $500 campaign contribution from Shalom Church in Florissant, Missouri and $2,500 he reported receiving in a supplemental large campaign contribution report from the Baptist Ministers Alliance. Nonprofit religious organizations are prohibited from engaging in certain political activities, including making donations to political campaigns, in order to maintain their 501(c)(3) tax exempt status.

Clay filed an amended report on April 17, a day following Advance Indiana's report, stating the $500 received from Shalom Church by his committee had been refunded to the church on April 9, 2015, a week before he filed his regular campaign finance report on April 16 reporting the contribution from the church. The amended report also discloses a loan of $1,400 Clay claims to have made to his campaign committee on January 20, 2015 to pay for a "convention fee." It's unclear whether Clay returned the $2,500 he reported receiving from the Baptist Ministers Alliance. We'll be keeping an eye on the good reverend.