PA GOP Files Another Complaint with FEC and Senate Select Committee on Ethics
HARRISBURG — On May 10, 2013, Republican Party of Pennsylvania Chairman Rob Gleason filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against Joe Sestak and his fundraising committees for violating provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA) and regulations administered by the FEC. Joe Sestak has been illegally amassing a war chest without filing a Statement of Candidacy or Personal Financial Disclosure Report. After Joe Sestak received Chairman Gleason’s complaint, Sestak made his intentions to run for U.S. Senate in 2016 public. However, he still has not filed the necessary paperwork with the FEC and as of November 8, 2013, is willfully refusing to comply with the law. As a result, Chairman Gleason wrote a letter to the FEC to supplement the original complaint, and filed an official complaint with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics asking both entities to hold Joe Sestak accountable for his illegal activities.
Chairman Gleason’s letter to the Senate Ethics Committee can be downloaded here.
Chairman Gleason’s supplement to the FEC Office of General Counsel can be downloaded here.
Chairman Gleason also released the following statement, “Joe Sestak continues to be in clear violation of the law and his illegal behavior is further proof that he is trying to hide his actions from Pennsylvanians. Joe Sestak should return all funds raised improperly until he is in full compliance with the law. Based on his recent behavior, Pennsylvanians had good reason not to trust Joe Sestak in 2010 or in the future, in addition to just plain rejecting his liberal policies.”
Original FEC Complaint — May 10, 2013
According to the complaint, “Joe Sestak was obligated under the law to file a Statement of Candidacy on or before February 24, 2013 — fifteen days after triggering candidate status on February 9, 2013. Furthermore, Joe Sestak was obligated to file a federal Candidate Personal Financial Disclosure Report on or before March 9, 2013 — thirty days after triggering candidate status.
“Respondents are wholly disregarding the requirements of federal law by failing to file the required public disclosures attendant to a candidate, a designation imposed upon Respondents by the raising of nearly half a million dollars during the first quarter of 2013.
“Even if Respondents claim they are operating within a ‘testing the waters’ phase whereby the decision to seek federal office in 2014 has not yet been made, it is a violation of federal law to ‘amass a campaign war chest’ during the ‘testing the waters’ phase preceding a candidacy. Specifically, FEC regulations provide that an indication of candidate status is raising funds “in excess of what could reasonably be expected to be used for exploratory activities or undertakes activities designed to amass campaign funds that would be spent after he or she becomes a candidate”. 11 C.F.R.§100.72 (2). Clearly, Respondents are amassing a war chest for purposes of a candidacy without meeting the filing requirements under federal law.”
A copy of the original complaint can be downloaded here.
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