PORT ST. LUCIE — Mayor Patricia Christensen and her husband and campaign treasurer, Frans Christensen, have paid $5,000 in fines to the Florida Elections Commission as part of an agreement over charges of campaign violations.

According to the agreement signed by the couple on June 4, the two failed to report a $500 contribution from Homes of East Lake Village LLC in August 2006, and two $500 donations from The Painting Pros LLC in August and October that same year.

The commission agreed to charge the couple $5,000 in fines, which was paid last month, according to an official.

The commission is set to approve the agreement and payment at its August meeting.

Martin County Commissioner Susan Valliere and her husband, Jim, were found guilty Wednesday of several campaign finance violations, but the majority of the charges against the couple were dismissed by an administrative law judge.

Susan Valliere was found guilty of two counts and fined $2,000. Jim Valliere was found guilty of one count and fined $1,000.

State Administrative Law Judge Robert Meale, who heard the case in February, dismissed 108 other counts leveled against the couple; 28 of the original counts were against Susan Valliere, while Jim Valliere faced 83 counts.

Read the final order here.

The Vallieres couldn’t be reached for comment today.

The Florida Elections Commission case against the Vallieres stemmed from Susan Valliere’s primary re-election campaign in 2006 in which Jim Valliere acted as her campaign treasurer while also running a political action committee that supported her re-election.

The couple was accused of coordinating campaign activities and violating contribution limits. (more…)