ABOUT:
Defense policy analysis, commentary and discussion.
Public Citizen and several progressive groups filed a complaint Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission, calling on the agency to take action against Chevron Corp. for $2.5 million the energy company gave to the Congressional Leadership Fund, a Republican super PAC.
The Chevron contribution violated a “pay-to-play” prohibition on political contributions by federal contractors, alleges the complaint filed by Public Citizen, Friends of the Earth U.S., Greenpeace and Oil Change International. The Congressional Leadership Fund backs House GOP candidates and has received fundraising help from Republican leaders, including House Speaker John A. Boehner, R-Ohio.
“By taking a strong stand against Chevron’s actions, the FEC would clearly signal to federal contractors and political organizations that trading cash for favors will not be tolerated,” Public Citizen President Robert Weissman said in a statement. Public Citizen also released an updated report dubbed “Super Connected” that documents close links between supposedly independent super PACs and the candidates and parties they back.
Congressional Leadership Fund Communications Director Dan Conston dismissed the complaint as an “obvious coordinated intimidation attack from the left masquerading as just one more utterly baseless complaint.”
Want Roll Call on your doorstep?
SIGN UPAlready a subscriber?
Sign up to have the print PDF emailed to you.
Roll Call has launched a new feature, Hill Navigator, to advise congressional staffers and would-be staffers on how to manage workplace issues on Capitol Hill. Please send us your questions — anything from office etiquette, to handling awkward moments, to what happens when the work life gets too personal. Submissions will be treated anonymously.
