Bob Watada, executive director of the state Campaign Spending Commission that collected about $1.7 million in fines from about 80 people and companies in connection with its investigation into illegal political contributions, plans to retire this fall.

Watada, who was appointed to the position in 1995, said he is targeting Sept. 30 to retire and told the commission that it ought to find a replacement by Oct. 1.

"I think it will be a while before we're going to see people making false name contributions and using various ways to get around the campaign spending law," he said.

But he also said he is a "realist" and whenever there's money and power, "we have to be constantly vigilant."

Watada will be the third key person leaving the investigation and prosecution of illegal campaign donations to former Mayor Jeremy Harris and other politicians.

Police Major Dan Hanagami, the main investigator, retired June 30. And Randal Lee, the city deputy prosecutor handling the office's prosecution, left for a job as a Circuit Court judge earlier this year.

The prosecution is now being handled by city Deputy Prosecutor Christopher Van Marter, who also has other duties, including murder prosecutions.

In late May, city Prosecutor Peter Carlisle said the 3 1/2-year prosecution would be winding down.

In addition to the sanctions handed out by the commission, at least 47 individuals and two companies pleaded guilty or no contest to illegal donation charges, most of them misdemeanors. They paid tens of thousands of dollars in fines, but only two ended up serving jail time. The two each served 10-day sentences.

All of them were granted chances to have the criminal charges dropped providing they abide by conditions similar to probation.