Election Reformers Sue for Action on Complaint Against Ashcroft
A campaign overhaul group filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to get the Federal Election Commission to act on a year-old complaint involving Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft.
The complaint alleges that, in his 2000 Senate reelection campaign, Ashcroft failed to report a contribution that exceeded federal fund-raising limits.
The National Voting Rights Institute’s lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, asks a judge to order the FEC to rule on the complaint within 30 days. The FEC can dismiss the case, impose civil fines or forward matters to the Justice Department--which Ashcroft now heads--for criminal investigation.
FEC spokeswoman Kelly Huff declined to comment.
The allegations against Ashcroft center on a mailing list of contributors developed during Ashcroft’s 1998 presidential exploration effort. One political action committee, Spirit of America, built the list, and Ashcroft’s Senate reelection committee used it to raise more than $116,000, the complaint said.
Under federal election rules, donating a mailing list is the same as making a campaign contribution and is subject to the same $10,000 limit.
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