CREW: FEC IGNORED ITS GENERAL COUNSEL; LET ENSIGN GET AWAY
Today, new documents released by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) show that commissioners ignored a recommendation made by the commission's general counsel to further investigate the $96,000 payment to Senator John Ensign's (R-NV) mistress Cynthia Hampton. Instead, commissioners dismissed the complaint, which was originally filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). In response to the news, CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan issued the following statement:
"Just what will a lawmaker have to do in order for the FEC to stand up and take notice? The FEC's own general counsel found the $96,000 payment likely violated campaign finance laws, and still the FEC turned a blind eye. Republicans in the 112th Congress are looking for ways to trim wasteful government spending, and they should take a good hard look at the FEC, because right now taxpayers are getting nothing for their money."
Click here to read the General Counsel's Report.
Click here to read CREW's original complaint against Senator Ensign.
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
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