Former staffer files FEC complaint against Club

A former staffer for Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against the Club for Growth.

The complaint alleges the Club exceeded its contribution limit to Lt. Governor Sean Parnell, who is challenging Rep. Don Young's (R-Alaska) in the GOP primary, by running advocacy ads.

{mosads}“The Club for Growth has already provided $330,000 in conduit contributions as detailed in Parnell’s FEC filings available on the FEC website,” wrote Barbara Mee, a retired Alaska resident who worked for Stevens a decade ago.

“The exact value of the current advertisement is unknown but it is reasonable to assume that the preparation, production, and airtime for the ad exceeds the $5,000 campaign limit for PACs,” the complaint stated.

As a result, the Parnell campaign had received an “excess contribution” in violation of federal campaign law, it said.

In a statement, the Club for Growth said the ad fully complied with FEC rules and was disclosed to the FEC as an independent expenditure.

“We can state with certainty that we have done nothing wrong and the ad is perfectly legal,” Club for Growth Executive Director David Keating said in a statement.

Young’s campaign also criticized the Club, which has supported Parnell and repeatedly attacked Young for pork-barrel spending.

“The Club for Growth has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars attacking Congressman Young for fighting for funding for Alaska’s veterans, senior citizens, and Alaska Native education programs,” said Young campaign spokesman Mike Anderson.

“They have relentlessly attacked him for funding Alaskan transportation and infrastructure programs that have created thousands of new jobs and boosted Alaska’s economy.  But running a new ad that clearly advocates the election of Sean Parnell is over the line – even for an organization with a questionable track record like the Club for Growth.”

Neither the Parnell campaign nor the Club for Growth returned immediate requests for comment.

Keating fired back in his statement. “After spending over $1 million dollars of his contributors’ money to defend himself in a set of criminal corruption investigations, Don Young still doesn't seem to understand the law."