The Texas Ethics Commission fined state Rep. Abel Herrero $2,800 for improperly reporting his political spending in filings made between 2006 and 2008.

The Robstown Democrat was the last of seven people fined for violations of campaign finance laws by the commission in January after hearing complaints at its Dec. 2 meeting in Austin.

Earlier in January, the commission fined Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, $1,300 for his handling of $9,790 in contributions. A complaint had been filed alleging that King had used the contributions for personal use, but the commission based its fine on what it called technical matters pertaining to the way King filed his spending disclosures.

The other five fines levied last month ranged from $200 to $500 for relatively minor finance law infractions.

The complaint filed against Herrero questioned reporting methods of the reimbursement to various people for tens of thousands of dollars of spending of campaign contributions. The commission, however, focused on $8,200 in payments he made to staff members as reimbursement for purchases staff made on Herrero's behalf.

Herrero had failed to use either of the two legal methods of disclosing the reimbursements on multiple reports, the commission ruled.
 
The Robstown Democrat was the last of seven people fined for violations of campaign finance laws by the commission in January after hearing complaints at its Dec. 2 meeting in Austin.
 
Earlier in January, the commission fined Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, $1,300 for his handling of $9,790 in contributions. A complaint had been filed alleging that King had used the contributions for personal use, but the commission based its fine on what it called technical matters pertaining to the way King filed his spending disclosures.
 
The other five fines levied last month ranged from $200 to $500 for relatively minor finance law infractions.
 
The complaint filed against Herrero questioned reporting methods of the reimbursement to various people for tens of thousands of dollars of spending of campaign contributions. The commission, however, focused on $8,200 in payments he made to staff members as reimbursement for purchases staff made on Herrero's behalf.