Citing Sunlight Foundation report, watchdog groups file complaint against Santorum
Source: Sunlight Foundation
Campaign finance watchdog groups filed a complaint Wednesday with the Federal Election Commission alleging that Rick Santorum's presidential campaign illegally directed a donation to a super PAC.
The complaint is based on a Sunlight Foundation report in which Louisiana mega donor Bill Doré recounted how he was instructed to donate $1 million to the Red, White and Blue Fund, the super PAC supporting Santorum's 2012 run for the presidency. It comes days after Santorum triggered speculation about an encore presidential run with a visit to Iowa, the state that will kick off the 2016 campaign with its much-watched caucuses.
“Mr. Doré’s account of his interaction with Mr. Santorum and his staff, if true, reveals a clear violation of federal campaign finance law,” said Paul S. Ryan, Campaign Legal Center senior counsel in a statement.
That's because federal law bars candidates and their staff from directing to a super PAC any more than the amount of money they can legally raise themselves. The FEC has set that amount at $5,000 per year.
Read more: http://reporting.sunlightfoundation.com/2013/citing-sunlight-foundation-report-watchdog-groups-file-complaint/
