By Mike Tony, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A candidate on the Democratic ballot for an open U.S. Senate seat has filed an overdue financial disclosure report days before the election, sparking a class-based contrast between him and an opponent in the race.
Community organizer Zachary Shrewsbury of Princeton reported income of $53,146 from self- employment as an independent contractor.
The federally required financial disclosure report was listed as filed Tuesday, a day after a Gazette-Mail inquiry to the Shrewsbury campaign about him not having filed one by the deadline.
Shrewsbury’s report says he didn’t own any assets valued at more than $1,000 or generating income of over $200, an unusual detail for a U.S. Senate candidate. The report states Shrewsbury wasn’t paid more than $5,000 for any services.
“We have nothing to hide,” Shrewsbury campaign manager Brandi Reece said in an email Wednesday of his lack of a filed disclosure. “It was genuine human error.”
Reporting requirements under federal law include a mandate to file disclosures at least 30 days before a primary or general election.
Federal guidance defines candidates as anyone seeking federal office who have received contributions exceeding $5,000, have spent more than $5,000 or have approved another entity to receive contributions or spend on their behalf over $5,000.
Disclosures of other Democrat candidates
Democratic Senate candidate Don Blankenship of Mingo County, a former coal company CEO, also didn’t file a disclosure report. Blankenship’s campaign has not responded to a request for comment.
Another Democratic Senate candidate, Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott Jr., filed a financial disclosure report last month indicating income of $105,360, including a $25,700 mayoral salary and partnership distributions from Market Street Now LLC, Thirteen Ten LLC and Route 40 Realty LLC, all Wheeling-based companies.
Elliott reported assets valued at a range between roughly $1.01 million and $2.21 million in personal and joint ownership, including:
