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PRESS

December 07, 2010

CREW: FEC Fails Again, Allows Senator Vitter & His Donors to Blatantly Violate Campaign Finance Law

FEC Complaints, Elections, Federal Agencies, Federal Election Commission (FEC), States, Louisiana, Press Releases, Senate Members, David Vitter

Today, an evenly split Federal Election Commission dismissed CREW's complaint against the U.S. Dry Cleaning Corporation. CREW filed the complaint last April, alleging the company had reimbursed four of its employees and their spouses for $38,400 in contributions to David Vitter for U.S. Senate in an effort to obtain Senator Vitter's assistance in obtaining federal stimulus funds.

CREW's complaint was based on statements made by Jamal Ogbe, the former Director of Finance for U.S. Dry Cleaning Corporation, who told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that "the company was facing financial difficulties in 2009 and hoped that Vitter would help the firm gain access to federal stimulus financing or Small Business Administration Assistance." Ogbe said he was eventually reimbursed by his employer for his $4,800 contribution.

In response, CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan issued the following statement:

"The toothless FEC has flashed its gums again. How on earth can they be equally divided on a question of fact that was extensively reported on in the public arena? The agency has an American flag on its logo, but it should clearly replace that with an ostrich, because when it comes to election law, all it does is bury its head in the sand.

In just the past few months, we have seen FEC commissioners asleep at the switch as billions of dollars flooded into our elections, and they recently gave Senator John Ensign (R-NV) a pass for failing to report almost $100,000. Just what will it take for the agency to do its job and enforce the law? Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA), the incoming chair of the House Government Oversight Committee has promised hearings on how our government wastes taxpayer dollars; the FEC would be a terrific place to start."

Click here to read the FEC's letter of dismissal.

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 David Merchant at 202.408.5565 or dmerchant@citizensforethics.org