State campaign finance laws prohibit corporate funding of political activity, and no donations - of money, time, or services - are permitted, according to the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance.
“Corporations cannot provide goods or services to a political committee without compensation. An employee’s time is a good or service,’’ said Jason Tait, a spokesman for the office.
Maginn, elected chairman in November, raised eyebrows at the end of last year when the Globe reported that he had hired two former US representatives, Peter Blute and Peter Torkildsen, at his software firm. Blute said he would serve as Maginn’s unpaid deputy chairman at the MassGOP. Those hirings triggered questions about whether Maginn used resources from his privately held business to push political pursuits.
Maginn did not return calls for comment on his hiring of Willington. A party spokesman, Tim Buckley, said Willington is not working for the party free of charge. His consulting firm, Swiftcurrent Strategies, is being paid by the Massachusetts GOP, Buckley said. But his services are expected to raise more money for the party than they cost.
“We expect Swiftcurrent to expand and enhance our fund-raising efforts beyond the value of the contract, providing a net benefit to the party,’’ Buckley said.
Last year, Willington received $4,000 a month for website service and design for Senator Scott Brown’s reelection campaign, federal campaign finance records show.
Buckley did not explain Willington’s relationship with Jenzabar. “I have no idea,’’ he said. “I’m not Jenzabar.’’
Neither Willington nor a Jenzabar spokeswoman returned repeated calls from the Globe.
