FEC Lets DeLay PACS Off the Hook, Says CREW
Posted on July 15, 2008 in Generic medical release (Category: Default)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 19, 2005
9:00 AM
CONTACT: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
Naomi Seligman, 202-841-5096
FEC Finds Westar Violated Campaign Finance Laws and That Elected Officials Knowingly Accepted Illegal Contributions;
FEC Lets DeLay PACS Off the Hook, Says CREW
WASHINGTON - August 19 - Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is pleased that late yesterday, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) released its findings that Westar Energy Company made illegal corporate contributions to numerous federal candidates. Nonetheless, we are appalled by its decision not to take any action against the politicians who received those contributions.
Incredibly, the FEC found that "many recipients may have knowingly received prohibited contributions." Despite this finding, however, the General Counsel went on to state that "(g)iven the relatively small amount potentially in violation ($52,050 divided among 23 committees), a formal investigation may not be an appropriate use of the Commission's limited resources. Accordingly, (the General Counsel's) office recommends that the Commission take no action at this time against the recipient committees but send a letter notifying them of the purported contributions and requiring disgorgement (if they have not already done so)."
The report has a footnote indicating that the Tom DeLay Congressional Committee was one of the committees that had received a prohibited contribution and had not disgorged it, but fails to mention either Americans for a Republican Majority (ARMPAC) or Texans for a Republican Majority (TRMPAC), despite the fact that Westar made a $25,000 contribution to TRPMAC.
Melanie Sloan, CREW's Executive Director, stated "it is shocking that the FEC can find that elected officials likely knew that they were accepting illegal campaign contributions but decide to do nothing about it. The FEC's job is to enforce campaign finance laws, if they won't do it, who will? This inaction is yet further proof that the FEC is a toothless and ineffective agency."
AUGUST 19, 2005
9:00 AM
CONTACT: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
Naomi Seligman, 202-841-5096
FEC Finds Westar Violated Campaign Finance Laws and That Elected Officials Knowingly Accepted Illegal Contributions;
FEC Lets DeLay PACS Off the Hook, Says CREW
WASHINGTON - August 19 - Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is pleased that late yesterday, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) released its findings that Westar Energy Company made illegal corporate contributions to numerous federal candidates. Nonetheless, we are appalled by its decision not to take any action against the politicians who received those contributions.
Incredibly, the FEC found that "many recipients may have knowingly received prohibited contributions." Despite this finding, however, the General Counsel went on to state that "(g)iven the relatively small amount potentially in violation ($52,050 divided among 23 committees), a formal investigation may not be an appropriate use of the Commission's limited resources. Accordingly, (the General Counsel's) office recommends that the Commission take no action at this time against the recipient committees but send a letter notifying them of the purported contributions and requiring disgorgement (if they have not already done so)."
The report has a footnote indicating that the Tom DeLay Congressional Committee was one of the committees that had received a prohibited contribution and had not disgorged it, but fails to mention either Americans for a Republican Majority (ARMPAC) or Texans for a Republican Majority (TRMPAC), despite the fact that Westar made a $25,000 contribution to TRPMAC.
Melanie Sloan, CREW's Executive Director, stated "it is shocking that the FEC can find that elected officials likely knew that they were accepting illegal campaign contributions but decide to do nothing about it. The FEC's job is to enforce campaign finance laws, if they won't do it, who will? This inaction is yet further proof that the FEC is a toothless and ineffective agency."