Campaign Legal Center and End Citizens United File FEC Complaint Against Trump Campaign for Illegally Soliciting Contributions for “Independent” Super PAC
WASHINGTON – Today, Campaign Legal Center (CLC) and End Citizens United (ECU) filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against President Trump’s campaign for issuing an official statement Tuesday that seemingly solicited unlimited contributions to a pro-Trump super PAC, America First Action. Candidates or their campaigns may only solicit contributions for super PACs within federal limits.
“If candidates are not punished for working hand-in-hand with super PACs, campaigns will stretch the legal boundaries until there is no way to prevent the corruption of candidates beholden to big money,” said Adav Noti, senior director and chief of staff at CLC. “The ban on candidates raising unlimited amounts for super PACs is an important check on the influence of megadonors, but the Trump campaign suggested that donors give to a super PAC without any contribution limits. The FEC must impose serious penalties for this illegal solicitation.”
“No one is above the law, including President Trump. The Trump campaign’s brazen attempt to break the wall between candidates and super PACs demonstrates how broken and inadequate our campaign finance system is and why we need reform,” said Tiffany Muller, president of End Citizens United. “The campaign’s official statement directs special interests and the President’s mega-donor friends to contribute unlimited money to a pro-Trump super PAC. The FEC should investigate and impose the highest possible sanction on the Trump campaign for this violation of the law.”
Federal law and FEC regulations prohibit campaigns from soliciting contributions to super PACs unless certain critical measures are taken to ensure that the solicited contributions comply with federal contribution limits and prohibitions. The Trump campaign took no such measures in its solicitation Tuesday, instead issuing a blanket endorsement of contributions to the “approved” super PAC – contributions that would include corporate and unlimited funds, which federal candidates are prohibited from soliciting.