By John Kiesewetter
Enquirer staff writer

WEST CHESTER TOWNSHIP - A third state complaint has been filed against Butler County Commissioner Michael A. Fox by another political opponent.

J. Michael Best, an independent candidate challenging Fox in the November election, Wednesday accused Fox of using an illegal political action committee to help candidates for the Republican Party Central Committee in the March 2 primary.

His complaint was made in a letter to the Ohio Elections Commission. Monday, the commission received accusations from Catherine Stoker, the West Chester Democrat running against Fox for commissioner, saying that Fox filed inaccurate or incomplete campaign finance reports since 2000.

In April, West Chester developer Charles W. Chappell filed an Ohio Ethics Commission complaint saying Fox submitted fraudulent travel expenses in 2002.

Best said letters were sent by Fox supporters in late February from an organization called Conservative Republicans for a Change. Fox didn't register the group with the Ohio Secretary of State until March 26, according to state records. He also registered another nonprofit organization that day, Family Values for Family Courts.

"This is just blatant. He's been in the business too long not to know what is right and what's wrong. This isn't the act of a maverick, it's the act of a rogue," said Best, a former Fairfield City Council member and a member of the county Republican Party Central Committee.

Fox said Conservative Republicans for a Change was the "expression of a theme," and not a political action committee. He liked the name so much he registered it - but not as a political action committee - after the primary.

Fox contends Ohio law exempts precinct party committee races from political financial reporting requirements.

Best charged that Fox could use the two nonprofit groups to collect campaign donations "in complete secrecy and without any filing requirements under Ohio election laws."

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E-mail jkiesewetter@enquirer.com