WFMJ.com News weather sports for Youngstown-Warren OhioUPDATEL Candidate for Girard Municipal Judge speaks out about campaign mistake

UPDATEL Candidate for Girard Municipal Judge speaks out about campaign mistake

GIRARD, Ohio - A candidate in Trumbull County's May primary spoke publicly Friday about what he says was a mistake by his campaign committee.

Mark Finamore is running for judge of Girard Municipal Court.

As 21 News first reported on Thursday, Finamore's campaign sent out invitations to a fundraiser soliciting supporters to become friends of the candidate at silver, gold or platinum levels for as much as $575.00.

The Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct says candidates cannot receive campaign contributions from a fundraising event that identifies participants by the amount of their contributions. "I take full for responsibility for not catching this, even though it was my campaign, I know from the rules that I am still ultimately responsible for anything they do whether I know about it or not," Finamore said.

Finamore also criticized a robo calling campaign by opponent Marty Hume, pointing out that Finamore is a magistrate and not a judge. Finamore says as an appointed magistrate, he performs all the duties of a judge.