Watchdog files complaint against pro-Clinton group over banned donations

A campaign finance watchdog has filed a complaint against a super-PAC supporting Hillary Clinton for accepting banned contributions from a federal contractor.

{mosads}Priorities USA returned the $200,000 in donations from Boston-based Suffolk Construction Co. after The Hill reported the violation last week.

Companies that hold federal contracts are prohibited from donating to political groups. 

But watchdog group Campaign Legal Center (CLC) alleges that Priorities USA, which has raised millions of dollars for Clinton’s campaign, ignored previous warnings about the donations and noted that the Center for Public Integrity confronted the PAC about the contribution in April. 

A statement from CLC says that Priorities USA “failed to (return the money) within 30 days of learning of the possible violation, as the law requires.” 

“If it wasn’t for news reports highlighting these violations of the law, we’d never know if Priorities USA Action would have still refunded those contributions,” said CLC Deputy Executive Director Paul S. Ryan in the statement.

“Super PACs and their deep-pocketed donors should not be allowed to skirt and violate the laws we have in place to protect the integrity of our democracy. This is exactly why Americans don’t have confidence in our political process, and why there is overwhelming support for reforming our campaign finance system, which includes a strong, effective FEC that enforces the law.”