An ethics complaint has been filed against Oviedo City Council candidate Jeffrey Chundow alleging he violated campaign finance laws when he accepted more than the legal limit from a Tallahassee-based political committee.
Mr. Chudnow accepted $1000 from “Friends of Jason Brodeur” on June 8, 2018. Chudnow received no other monetary contributions that month. His total donations by the end of June were $3500. On October 5th, Chudnow accepted an additional $500 donation from Friends of Jason Brodeur.
Florida Statutes chapter 106 says that no candidate may accept more than $1000 from any single source, except for a handful of exceptions. As a political committee, Friends of Jason Brodeur does not qualify as an exception. Public records available online from both Friends of Jason Brodeur and Chudnow show that $1500 changed hands, 50% more than the legal limit.
Chudnow, the recently retired police chief of Oviedo, could face up to 1 year in prison for the first degree misdemeanor if the Florida Elections Commission finds him in violation of the statute.
It was reported earlier that Mr. Chudnow had also received over 13% of his total campaign warchest from local developer John Miklos.
A copy of the complaint filed with the Florida Division of Elections and the Oviedo City Clerk is below: