Quirk Pays $60,000 for Making Illegal Campaign Contributions

A Braintree-based car dealership will pay the state to $60,000 for making illegal contributions to several candidates.

The Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance announced Monday that Daniel J. Quirk Inc. and Quincy Auto Auction Inc., both owned by Daniel Quirk, will make the payment to the state’s general fund.

The two affiliated auto dealership companies contributed $19,500 from 2013-2015 to four candidates by providing the funds to employees, who subsequently gave the money to the political committees, according to the OCPF.

Gov. Charles Baker, Quincy City Councilor Brad Croall, Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch and former attorney general candidate Warren Tolman all received funds after the dealerships arranged for employees to make 39 total contributions of $500 each, using funds provided by the corporations.

Campaign finance law prohibits corporate contributions to candidates and prohibits disguising the true source of funds.

Each campaign committee will disgorge any prohibitive donation they received. Overall Koch obtained $7,000, Croall $6,000, Tolman,$4,000, and Baker, $2,500. The money can be given to the state, a city or town, a scholarship fund or a charity or religious organization.

No candidates or committees were aware that the contributions were made with corporate funds until notified during OCPF’s review.

Quirk also agreed not to solicit contributions from his employees for any Massachusetts candidate or political committee for three years.