Twenty-one months after former Salem lawmaker Dan Doyle told a judge he'd take responsibility for his campaign finance crimes "in any way I can," he has failed to pay a dime toward his $127,185 in civil penalties. As a result, the state moved Tuesday to step up collection efforts against Doyle. Doyle never responded to a proposed payment plan sent April 1, specifying that he pay $500 per month, said Nancy Ferry, an Elections Division compliance specialist. So Ferry referred the case Tuesday to the Business Services Division of the Secretary of State's office.
If that unit can't get quick results, it would refer the case to the Department of Revenue. Ultimately, the case could go to a private collection agency. Doyle could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
The Salem Republican was elected to the House in 2000, 2002 and 2004. He was a practicing attorney at that time. He rose to briefly become co-chairman of the powerful joint budget committee before his political career was eclipsed by a campaign-finance scandal that came to light in early 2005.
Doyle skimmed more than $146,000 in campaign contributions to his 2002 and 2004 House races and diverted the money to his family and law firm. He then covered it up with dozens of false entries in 11 campaign finance reports.
Doyle pleaded guilty to 11 felonies and was sentenced to 10 months in jail in October 2005. He served five months of the term and was released in March 2006.
State prosecutors had sought a 15-month prison term. But a contrite Doyle appeared before Marion Circuit Judge Pro Tem Robert Cannon on Oct. 3, 2005, and sought leniency.
"What it boils down to is I lied to the public, and I'm taking responsibility for that in any way I can," Doyle told the judge.
Doyle later filed for personal bankruptcy and appealed the $127,185 in civil penalties levied by the Elections Division.
He dropped that appeal in October 2006, Ferry said. In January 2007, the Elections Division sent Doyle a letter about commencing payments on his penalties. He responded by asking to delay payments until September, Ferry said.
The division declined to delay payments that long and issued a payment plan to Doyle on April 1, Ferry said. That called for him to make $500 monthly payments in a plan that would last for two years. At that rate, it would take him 21 years to pay the civil penalties in full, though the payment amount could rise after two years. The Elections Division doesn't charge interest on unpaid civil penalties.
However, Doyle never signed the payment plan or responded, Ferry said.
Doyle's ability to pay the civil penalties is unclear.
After his release from jail, Doyle took a job at Ames Research Laboratories, a Turner-based company owned by his friend W. Ames Curtright.
Curtright said Tuesday that Doyle hasn't worked for the company for some time and he hasn't heard from Doyle.
In contrast, Doyle's wife, Victoria, is making good on her debt, stemming from a related case.
Victoria Doyle pleaded guilty in 2005 to a single count of falsifying a campaign finance report during her unsuccessful 2004 race for Marion County clerk. She served 10 days in a work-release program and was fined $1,604.
Victoria Doyle has been paying $25 a month for the past year, under a signed payment agreement, Ferry said. Victoria Doyle's debt now is down to $1,279. She agreed to extend the agreement another two years.
