Vern Buchanan

More Bad News For NRCC Finance Chair Vern Buchanan

Ryan J. Reilly | December 22, 2011, 5:33PM

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)

The House Ethics Committee announced Thursday that it was extending its investigation into Florida Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan, who is also under a Justice Department probe for allegations he broke campaign finance laws.

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Vern Buchanan

Florida GOPer Vern Buchanan Said FEC 'Exonerated' Him -- It Didn't

Ryan J. Reilly | December 21, 2011, 11:26AM

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)

The Federal Election Commission thinks Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) either lied to them or has a terrible memory problem.

An FEC report obtained by TPM about allegations that Buchanan had his former car company reimburse employees for donations to his political campaign finds that there wasn't enough evidence to show that Buchanan broke the law. Buchanan's team had previously claimed that he was "completely exonerated" by the commission, citing letters from the FEC.

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Newt Gingrich

FEC Complaint Filed Over Gingrich Campaign Paying $42K For Candidate's Mailing List

Ryan J. Reilly | December 19, 2011, 1:21PM

A government watchdog group has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich following a report that his campaign paid Gingrich $42,000 for the use of his personal mailing list without disclosing it in their campaign finance filings. They also asked the FEC to investigation whether Gingrich Productions, Inc. held campaign events in conjunction with his book signings.

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Vern Buchanan

Sessions Defends Buchanan Over Allegations Of Illegal Campaign Finance Scheme

Ryan J. Reilly | December 16, 2011, 2:00PM

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)

Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, is defending NRCC Finance Chair Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) over allegations he schemed to illegally reimburse employees of his former car dealership for donations to his political campaign.

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Stephen Colbert

Blues Harp Player And His Occupy-Inspired Super PAC 'Riding The Coattails' Of Stephen Colbert

Ryan J. Reilly | December 14, 2011, 8:55AM

Updated: Dec. 14, 6:07PM

Why put off till tomorrow what you can do today?

Perhaps that's what individuals seeking to donate to Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert's political action committee Americans For A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow will be asking themselves if they stumble upon a newly formed -- and similarly named -- super PAC called Americans For A Better Tomorrow, Today.

There's no actual connection between Colbert's 'super PAC' -- which the comedian has used as a means to sarcastically advocate for fewer restrictions on money in politics -- and Americans For A Better Tomorrow Today, which filed its paperwork with the Federal Election Commission last week. But Todd Bailey, custodian of records and treasurer for the new group, said Colbert had "raised a lot of awareness around the issue" and provided his (mostly anonymous) clients with an opportunity.

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Newt Gingrich

Did Newt Gingrich Violate Campaign Finance Laws?

Ryan J. Reilly | December 6, 2011, 4:03PM

Republican presidential candidate and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich speaks at a press conference before a tea party rally at the Hilton Garden Inn in Staten Island, New York on December 3, 2011.

A campaign finance lawyer flags this part of the Washington Post's story on Newt Gingrich's massive $1.2 million campaign debt:

One of the campaign's biggest creditors is Gingrich himself, who billed the campaign more than $125,000 for a mailing list and travel expenses, about half of which remained unpaid at the end of last quarter.

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Topics: FEC, Federal Election Commission, Newt Gingrich

Federal Election Commission

FEC Deadlocks On Question Of 'Uncoordinated' Coordination

Ryan J. Reilly | December 1, 2011, 12:30PM

Updated: Dec. 1, 1:05PM

The Federal Election Commission deadlocked on a request by Karl Rove's "super PAC" to allow advertisements shot in coordination with candidates for federal office to be considered uncoordinated and not amount to in-kind donations. A motion in support of a draft opinion to reject the request failed on a three-to-three party line vote.

Republican FEC member Donald McGhan lead the questioning of a lawyer for American Crossroads, the conservative "super PAC" that is requesting to run advertisements featuring federal candidates for office.

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