This week, information was released showing many members of the Dallas City Council have committed apparent violations of the city’s campaign finance laws.

Some councilmembers have said the violations are due to errors in reporting made in good faith.

In addition to receiving contributions from minors, many received contributions over the city-imposed limits. Currently, no body or office is responsible for oversight of campaign finance reporting in Dallas.

To further the problem, the city disagrees about whether the ethics panel could investigate campaign finance violation complaints, or whether the responsibility would fall on the city secretary.

The city has asked the Texas Ethics Commission to intervene, but the state commission has declined to get involved.

Currently, Dallas has a $1,000 individual contribution limit per election cycle for City Council races and a $5,000 individual cap on mayoral races.

Dallas City Councilman Dwaine Caraway pled guilty to federal corruption charges last Thursday and has resigned from City Council.

Caraway admitted to accepting $450,000 in bribes and kickbacks from two figures in a scandal last year that brought down a school bus agency named Dallas County Schools.

City Attorney Larry Casto told City Council a special election must be added to the November 6 election to fill the vacancy.