CREW Files FEC Complaint Against Grover Norquist and Ken Mehlman

4 Feb 2004 // Washington, DC — Earlier today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging that Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform and Bush-Cheney '04 violated federal campaign laws. According to The Washington Post, Norquist gave Ken Mehlman, the campaign manager for Bush-Cheney '04 a "master contact list," including the names and information of conservative activists in 37 states compiled by Norquist over a period of 5 years.

CREW's complaint alleges that both parties are in violation of the law regardless of whether Mr. Norquist or Americans for Tax Reform actually contributed the list. Because Americans for Tax Reform is a corporation and campaigns are prohibited from accepting contributions from corporations, Bush-Cheney could not accept the list if it came directly from Americans for Tax Reform.

"Even if Mr. Norquist argues that he personally compiled and contributed the list, given that the value of the list is substantially more than the $2,000 contribution limit, it constitutes an excessive contribution which Norquist was prohibited from making and Bush-Cheney was prohibited from accepting," Melanie Sloan, Executive Director of CREW said today.

Finally, by failing to record the contribution of the list, Bush-Cheney violated FEC filing requirements.

"The public needs to know that no one — including the President of the United States is above the law. FEC laws are clear and must be followed," stated Melanie Sloan. "Mr. Norquist's contribution of the master contact list is very similar to Attorney General Ashcroft's problematic involvement with the contribution of a mailing list. The FEC has already found such a contribution to violate the law."

For a copy of the complaint or for more information please contact Naomi Seligman at 202.628.7772 ext. 126 or on the web at www.citizensforethics.org