Election Panel Fines Buchanan Campaign

WASHINGTON — The presidential campaign of conservative Republican commentator Patrick J. Buchanan has agreed to pay a $20,000 fine to the Federal Election Commission for improper contributions to his 1992 campaign.

In announcing the agreement Tuesday, the FEC said Buchanan’s 1992 campaign had accepted:

* $8,166 in contributions from corporations, which are prohibited by federal campaign finance law;

* $53,759 in contributions from individuals who exceeded the $1,000-per-person giving limit;

* $53,251 in improper in-kind contributions to the campaign. The latter were campaign expenses picked up by Buchanan himself and two aides, but not reimbursed in a timely way.

The campaign had already paid amounts equaling the corporate and excess contributions to the U.S. Treasury last March. It has until September to pay the additional $20,000 civil penalty.