Bachmann paid $8K FEC penalty before retirement announcement

{mosads}The agreement was accepted on April 18 — about six weeks ahead of Bachmann’s retirement announcement. 

Bachmann announced in a Web video on Wednesday she would not seek a fifth term.

“After a great deal of thought and deliberation, I have decided next year I will not seek a fifth congressional term,” she said. “I am confident that this is the right decision.”

Bachmann, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination, has also been facing questions about alleged improper payments to campaign consultants. She has maintained she never violated the law or House rules, and said the decision to retire was unrelated to the investigations.

“This decision was not impacted in any way by the recent inquiries into my former presidential campaign or my former presidential staff,” she said. “It was clearly understood that compliance with all rules and regulations was an absolute necessity for my presidential campaign, and I have no reason to believe that that was not the case.”

The FEC documents were first reported by the Washington Post.