MILWAUKEE (WTAQ) - Governor Scott Walker’s campaign has returned $170,000 to the Metro Milwaukee Association of Commerce, because it was reportedly donated improperly.

Steve Baas of the business group tells the Journal Sentinel that his organization misunderstood guidance it received from state elections officials. The group was fined $500 over the matter in February.

Recall targets were allowed to raise unlimited amounts of individual donations from the time the petition drives began until the elections were certified. But for political action committees and other groups, the limits were at their normal and much smaller levels.

As a result, Walker’s camp said it returned the money to the Milwaukee commerce group at its request. $100,000 of the amount had been donated to the group by financial executive Ted Kellner. $50,000 was given by Patrick English from the same firm. And $50,000 was donated by William Nasgovitz of Hartland Advisors.

The Milwaukee commerce group then passed on $175,000 of those gifts to Walker. But the Government Accountability Board said the three could only give $10,000 each to the commerce group’s political action committee.