CREW Files FEC Complaint Against Gov. Palin and RNC for Violating Campaign Finance...

CREW Files FEC Complaint Against Gov. Palin and RNC for Violating Campaign Finance Law by Purchasing $150,000 Wardrobe for VP Nominee and Family

WASHINGTON--(Business Wire)--
Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW)
filed a Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint against vice
presidential nominee Sarah Palin, the Republican National Committee
(RNC) and several other political operatives associated with the RNC,
for improperly spending $150,000 on clothing for Palin and her family,
in violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA).

According to news reports, the clothing and accessories purchases
for Palin and her family included a whopping $49,425 spent at Saks
Fifth Avenue, and a $75,062 spending spree at Neiman Marcus.

These shopping excursions violate campaign finance law.

FECA specifically prohibits a candidate for federal office from
converting campaign funds to personal use. FEC regulations make clear
that the prohibition applies to clothing purchases, such as those made
for the Palin family.

The RNC implicitly admitted that the clothing was purchased with
campaign funds by stating that it will be donated to charity after the
campaign. The RNC also relies on this prospective contribution to
explain why the personal use prohibition is not applicable as FEC
regulations provide that donations by candidates to charitable
organizations are not for personal use. It does not appear, however,
that this exception would apply to the clothing worn by Palin's
family, even if it does apply to her own.

Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW, said today, "It is
ridiculous that RNC would spend $150,000 to outfit a vice presidential
nominee and her family at any time, but it is more outrageous given
the dire financial straights of so many Americans and the state of our
economy. As if that isn't bad enough, the expenditures violate
campaign finance law. The FEC should investigate immediately."

Sloan continued, "If the RNC had an extra $150,000 to throw
around, there were better alternatives than pricey designer clothes.
For example, $150,000 could fund three Alaska teachers' yearly
salaries; library books for the Juneau, Alaska School district for
nearly two years; health care premiums for 31 working Americans or 12
families; flu vaccinations for just over 6000 people, or pay the
heating bills for 131 low-income households this winter."

Read the CREW's FEC complaint here.

Read the exhibits to CREW's FEC complaint here.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a
non-profit legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials
accountable for their actions. For more information, please visit
www.citizensforethics.org or contact Naomi Seligman at 202.408.5565 /
nseligman@citizensforethics.org.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Naomi Seligman, 202-408-5565

Copyright Business Wire 2008