Phoenix city councilwoman loses $40,000 in campaign checks

PHOENIX (AP) - A Phoenix city councilwoman running for re-election is struggling to amass campaign contributions after learning $40,000 in donor checks were never cashed.

The Arizona Capitol Times reports Councilwoman Thelda Williams learned last month that her longtime campaign treasurer misplaced checks from three fundraisers held between March and April of last year.

Williams says treasurer Gene Weinstein has found checks from two fundraisers but they are now too late to cash. So far, donors have reported that their checks were never cashed.

Weinstein says he was dealing with caring for his ailing father-in-law and simply lost track of them. He says he has since returned all the old checks.

Williams says she doesn't consider this a campaign finance violation since they never cashed the checks.