(Edited to add news from campaign: They got the check, but aren't using it.)
We'll launch a post a little bit later with the rundown on all of the campaign finance reports that catch our attention as they're posted on the city's campaign finance Web site today, but this one certainly caught our eye.
It looks like one of the giants of the payday lending industry - Advance America - made a $20,000 donation to Dwight Evans' mayoral campaign, but the campaign tells us that Evans turned down the contribution.
Advance America Cash Advance Centers PAC (of South Carolina) donated $20,000 on April 5.
"They did send us a contribution but we did not accept it, we have not cashed the check," said campaign spokesman Tim Spreitzer.
Payday lending has been a big issue in the campaign obviously, with opponents of Tom Knox bringing up the 18 months a bank he owned was involved in giving out the high-interest loans that Advance America specializes in.)
"It just felt like it was something we didn't want to accept," Spreitzer said. "It's something that's bene a focus of the campaign for obvious reasons. It was something we didn't want to accept."
We're waiting for the campaign's response, but this could explain why we haven't really heard any talk from Evans about Knox's payday lending experience. Evans has gone hard at Knox, but it's been a question about his experience fighting crime, not payday lending.
It should be an interesting day, folks. Today is when we find out who's bankrolling the five Democrats looking to take over City Hall. Hold on tight.
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