Press

PRESS

June 22, 2009

CREW Comments on Senator Coleman’s Request to Use Campaign Funds for Legal Fees

FEC Complaints, Federal Agencies, Federal Election Commission (FEC), Senate, States, Minnesota, Transparency, Press Releases, Senate Members, Norm Coleman

Washington, D.C. - The FEC has circulated two draft opinions, A and B, in response to Sen. Coleman’s request to be permitted to use campaign funds for legal fees in connection with corporate shareholder lawsuits in Texas and Delaware.

CREW opposed Sen. Coleman’s original request and, therefore, supports Draft Opinion A, which would not allow him to use campaign funds for those purposes, and opposes Draft Opinion B, which would allow him to use the funds for legal fees. CREW had also asked the Commission to prohibit Sen. Coleman from using recount funds for the legal fees, but neither draft opinion addresses the question because Sen. Coleman did not raise it himself. Because Sen. Coleman appears to have little money other than recount funds and the law specifically prohibits recount funds from being spent on anything not related to a recount, CREW once again has asked the Commission to bar Sen. Coleman from using recount funds for legal fees unrelated to his recount.

Click here to read the FEC's draft opinions.

Click here to read CREW's comments.

Click here to read CREW's original complaint to the FEC.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-profit legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their actions. For more information, please visit www.citizensforethics.org or contact Garrett Russo at 202.408.5565 or grusso@citizensforethics.org