Martin cites “first-time” candidacy for financial report delay

Republican congressional candidate Ed Martin is citing his first-time candidacy for a delay in filing his personal financial reports.

Martin is seeking to challenge Democratic Congressman Russ Carnahan of St. Louis.

Candidates are supposed to file financial disclosure reports within 30 days of raising at least $5,000. Campaign finance records show Martin passed that threshold last summer.

But he didn’t file his report until the end of April. Martin’s campaign provided documents to The Associated Press showing he repeatedly asked for a filing extension from federal officials. But the responses he received were not definitive.

Carnahan’s latest finance report acknowledges that he failed to list a corporation created for his boat on several of his previous reports.