Administrative appeals for three former legislative candidates accused of misusing more than $100,000 in public campaign money have been continued until September and October.

The Citizens Clean Elections Commission on April 29 ordered that the three ex-candidates return all the public funding they spent to run their 2002 campaigns – $41,155.53 for Yuri Downing, $31,664.72 for Trevor Clevenger and $31,416.93 for Paul DeDonati. Mr. Downing ran for the District 17 Senate seat, while Mr. Clevenger and Mr. DeDonati ran for the House in the same district. All three candidates ran as Libertarians.

The candidates spent much of the public money on restaurant and bar tabs, which the candidates defended as unconventional but legitimate expenses in meeting and greeting supporters and potential supporters.

The hearings began before Administrative Law Judge Brian B. Tully on Aug. 22, but little occurred other than opening statements and several motions from counsel for each of the appellants.

Attorneys for the appellants declined to comment on the proceedings.

Colleen Connor, executive director of the state agency that alleges the three former candidates misused their public campaign money in the 2002 election, said, “It felt like a filibuster; they [the appellants] wanted more time and they got it.”

Ms. Connor said scheduling conflicts among some of the appellants, their attorneys and the administrative law judge pushed the continuances into September and beyond.

Mr. DeDonati’s hearing will continue on Sept. 8; Mr. Downing’s hearing will continue on Oct. 2, while Mr. Clevenger’s hearing will continue on Oct. 7. All three hearings are set to begin at 9 a.m. in the Office of Administrative Hearings, 1400 W. Washington St., Phoenix.

Once the hearings are complete, the judge will have 20 days to release his findings and recommendations on whether the fines should be rescinded or reduced. The recommendations of the judge will not be binding, but the five-person Citizens Clean Elections Commission will have to act within 30 days to accept, reject or modify the decision, or it will stand as final. —