A $140,000 settlement in a case involving state campaign law violations prior to the 2001 Des Moines city election was announced last week by the Attorney General's Office.

TME Capital Group, Environmental Materials Transport and Monarch Enterprises Inc. illegally funneled contributions through then-Councilman Don Wasson to support the campaigns of Maggie Steenrod, Richard Benjamin and Gary Petersen.

Steenrod, Benjamin and Petersen were elected, creating a 4-3 council majority that favored construction of the third runway at SeaTac International Airport. Several cities neighboring the airport, including Des Moines, were involved at that time in legal actions to block the new runway.

The new majority elected Wasson as mayor at their first meeting in 2002. But less than 15 months later, Wasson resigned from the council after the state Public Disclosure Commission found that he illegally received $49,000 in campaign contributions from the defendants.

They wanted to transport fill material for the third runway to a dock near Des Moines Beach Park, then offload it and send it by conveyor to the construction site.

"There's a great sense of satisfaction in knowing that the state is going to protect communities from special interests that attempt to go out and buy control over policy decisions, said Des Moines City Councilman Dave Kaplan.

Kaplan lost to Petersen in 2001 but was re-elected to the council in 2005.

Attorney General Rob McKenna noted that the settlement included an admission of violations, $125,000 in penalties and $15,000 in costs and fees.

Charges against nine individual defendants were dismissed as part of the settlement.

"The terms of this settlement are significant and uphold the principle of transparency in elections, including at the local level, McKenna said. "The settlement achieves the goal of holding those involved in campaign financing accountable to the public."