WASHINGTON — A watchdog group called Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and a Germantown constituent have filed a formal complaint against U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn's campaign committee with the Federal Election Commission.
Barbara Kaye Ginsberg, 68, a retired homemaker and a resident of the 7th Congressional District since 1977, jointly filed the complaint citing "serious violations of the Federal Election Campaign Act."
Whoopsie-daisy! The specifics:
The CREW complaint notes that, in April, Blackburn's campaign acknowledged more than $440,000 in unreported or incorrectly reported receipts and expenditures.
It also noted that press accounts had reported the campaign had failed to report a $1,000 contribution in 2004 from Friends of Duke Cunningham, the committee of the former California congressman now serving time for bribery. The CREW complaint notes that the Cunningham committee contribution was finally reported on April 16 of this year.
CREW is asking for an investigation and audit of the campaign's finances.
West Rogers Strategic, the public relations firm that represents Blackburn's opponent, Tom Leatherwood, in the Aug. 7 Republican primary election, has done its own review of the Blackburn campaign filings and notes that they failed to report $121,779 to Blackburn's daughter, son-in-law and his political consultancy firm.
"Based on the revised reports," WestRogers says in a memo, "total funds paid to Paul Ketchel, Mary Morgan Ketchel, Political Concepts and MK Consulting total $400,438."
Nepotism is best when it stays in the family!
For their part, the Blackburn campaign says the complaint is “merit less” [sic] and CREW is a “liberal partisan group.”
Yeah, whatever. Maybe if your house weren’t in such a mess there wouldn’t be any dirt for folks to find, eh?
