TAYLOR, Mich (WXYZ) — Taylor Mayor Rick Sollars has returned $8,500 to his campaign fund after 7 Action News raised questions about clothing expenses made over a period of years.
Citing what he called the “ambiguity of campaign finance law,” Sollars’ attorney Michael Pattwell said the Taylor Mayor decided on his own to reimburse his campaign for $8,484 in clothing expenses.
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The purchases date back to 2017, the same year Sollars ran unopposed for mayor. Records show he made six different purchases at the department store Von Maur totaling more than $3,000.
“They would have been for suits for my position as mayor,” Sollars told Channel 7’s Ross Jones. “It could be sport coats, it could be shoes, but it would all be related to my position as mayor.”
Records show Sollars also spent $410 at the men’s shoe store Johnston and Murphy, $1,406 at Macy’s, hundreds more at JC Penny’s and Target and another $3,009 at the dry cleaners.
Michigan law says candidates aren’t allowed to benefit personally from their campaign funds.
“If you’re buying suits and shoes with campaign funds, that seems like a personal benefit,” said Channel 7’s Ross Jones.
“Well, they are suits and shoes that I wear to work as part of my clothing attire for my position,” Sollars said.
In a February 27 letter, campaign finance attorney Christopher Trebilcock told the Wayne County Clerk's office that the funds had been returned. In the same letter, Trebilcock also referenced a "final concern" over the campaign treasurer "using funds that were not authorized by the Candidate or Committee" in 2018-2019. Trebilcock asked for "guidance on how to proceed," but did not elaborate on the unauthorized expenses.
In December, Sollars was indicted for accepting bribes from a county contractor and spending thousands from his campaign fund on personal expenses. Sollars pleaded not guilty and has maintained his innocence since his name first surfaced in an FBI probe last year.
Efforts to reach Mayor Sollars on his cell phone were not successful.
Contact 7 Investigator Ross Jones at ross.jones@wxyz.com or at (248) 827-9466.