Morgan Accused of Using Two Identities to Circumvent Campaign Finance Laws

A Warwick resident has filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission alleging Rhode Island State Rep. Patricia Morgan, also the Deputy Minority Leader, used two names to make campaign contributions in violation of campaign finance laws.

In the complaint, Anthony Sinapi alleges Morgan used her maiden name, Patricia Mulligan, to make six contributions totaling $2,500 while making similar contributions with her Morgan name to some of the same campaigns, including John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign, the Republican National Committee, and Rudy Giuliani.

Sinapi cites the 1971 Federal Election Campaign Act, which prohibits people from making contributions in the name of another person or with a fictitious name, as the basis for his complaint.

"Ms. Morgan’s legal name is 'Patricia Morgan,' not 'Patricia Mulligan.' It does not serve the public interest of transparency in reporting campaign contributions if an individual is allowed to contribute in a fictitious name/name of another to support a candidate for office," the complaint states. "These contributions appear to have been made in order to obfuscate the true source of the campaign funds."

Morgan did not respond to several requests for comment.

Morgan was first elected in 2010 and was reelected in 2012 to represent House District 26, which includes Warwick, West Warwick and Coventry.

The complaint (see attached) states that Morgan was married to Robert F. Morgan in 1997 and divorced three years later. She first ran for the Dist. 26 seat in 2004 as Patricia L. Morgan and served as the chairwoman of the state GOP from 2003 to 2006.

The alleged contributions occurred between 2007 to the present. 

Under the name Patricia Mulligan, election records show Morgan allegedly made just one contribution in 2007 — $250 to the Republican National Committee. In 2008, she donated a total of $500 in two $250 donations each to John McCain and Rudy Giuliani. The next year, she gave $500 to the Steele for Maryland campaign and in 2010, she donated $1,000 to Friends of John Loughlin and $250 the RNC.

Meanwhile, under the Morgan name, she donated another $250 to John McCain in 2008, along with $250 to Bob Schaffer for U.S. Senate and $1,450 to the RNC in three donations of $1,000, $200 and $250 respectively. In 2012, she donated $2,250 in three donations of $250 to Barry Hinckley for Senate and $1,000 each to Romney Victory Inc. and Romney for President Inc.

Donations under both names show listed employers that are on the representative's resume, including Smith Barney, Spire Securities and Clearpath Wealth Management.

A companion complaint was filed with the Rhode Island Board of Elections.