Watchdog Group Asks FEC To Investigate Poe Campaign

24 Sep 2007 // A watchdog group has asked the FEC to look into the campaign committee of Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, for financial misstatements made in 2003 and 2004 during Poe's successful race against then-Democratic Rep.

Nick Lampson, who was later elected to the House from a different district.

The FEC announced last month that an audit found that Poe's campaign failed to disclose the occupation and employer names for 40 percent of its contributors, did not identify contributors for $197,000 raised through other political committees, overstated overall receipts and understated spending.

The campaign corrected the misstatements in amended reports and the FEC took no further action. But the nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a complaint Thursday with the FEC's enforcement division, which is separate from the auditing unit.

A spokeswoman for Poe's campaign dismissed the charges. The FEC "has determined that the committee has been fully cooperative and complied with federal regulations and does not warrant further commission action," she said. "This matter is closed and resolved."