Columbia school board candidate irons out ethics reporting issues

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) -

A candidate for the Columbia Board of Education said he's fixed issues with his campaign committee that stopped him from properly filing and reporting his fundraising activity.

Dr. Keary Husain told ABC 17 News that the Missouri Ethics Commission did not accept his first filing because his campaign committee did not include his last name. Husain said the MEC told him he also did not put the date of the election on his form.

Husain's campaign committee and fundraising activity had not been disclosed on the MEC's website, despite Husain asking for donations and placing campaign signs. Husain told ABC 17 News he filed paperwork with the MEC in December when he filed to run for the board, but the commission apparently never received it. When a reporter at ABC 17 News began asking about the campaign committee last week, Husain said he worked with the MEC during that period to sort out the issue and get it registered.

"They not having the election date on the form was my fault," Husain said in a text to ABC 17 News. "I just missed that line. And when I sent them further documentation of the committee bank accounts that showed my full name along with my treasurer, they accepted that."

The MEC published Husain's campaign committee information, KEARY 4 SCHOOL BOARD, on Thursday.

Husain is one of four people running for three spots on the Columbia Board of Education. Three incumbents, John Lyman, Paul Harper and April Ferrao, are all running for a second term.

Monday is the deadline for April candidates to give updates on their fundraising and spending, the last such disclosure before the election.

As of Friday morning, Ferrao was the only candidate to file an eight-day prior disclosure. Ferrao reported $1,170 on hand, with $535 raised and $128 spent. Lyman last reported any raising or spending in 2023 when his committee had $195 on hand, and has filed "limited activity" disclosures since. Harper reported $407 on hand in February.