Anthony Weiner's House campaign committee fined $20,000

The Federal Election Commission has fined the old congressional campaign committee of New York City mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner $20,000 for failing to refund nearly $70,000 in contributions after he resigned from his House seat in 2011 following his first sexting scandal.

The FEC reached a conciliation agreement last month with Friends of Weiner and the campaign committee's treasurer, Nelson Braff, according to federal documents. The agreement was disclosed this week.

By the summer of 2011, Weiner, a Democrat who represented parts of Queens and Brooklyn, had collected $66,700 in campaign contributions that were designated for the 2012 general election. But Weiner had resigned from the House in June 2011 after revelations that he had online contact of a sexual nature with at least six women -- and then lied about the behavior.

FEC rules required the committee to refund, redesignate or reattribute the contributions within 60 days.

The Weiner committee contends that the violation resulted from a "mistaken belief that it could use the remaining general election contributions . . . for other purposes, including winding down costs," according to the FEC agreement.

Weiner spokeswoman Barbara Morgan did not respond to requests for comment.

Documents show the campaign committee paid the FEC fine from its depleted congressional account, which now has just $99 on hand.

The coffers for Weiner's mayoral campaign, which is dealing with new sexting revelations, have more than $4.3 million.