The Idaho Democratic Party has filed a complaint against Jim Risch with the Federal Election Commission. Here's the text of the document:
According to the campaign reports filed by the Jim Risch for U.S. Senate Committee as required by the Federal Election Campaign Act, the office for Mr. Risch’s campaign is located in the same office building as his law firm, Risch Goss Insinger Gustavel, 407 W. Jefferson St. , Boise , Idaho 83702 . The treasurer of the Jim Risch for U.S. Senate Committee is R. John Insinger, a named partner in Mr. Risch’s law firm. The campaign manager for the Jim Risch for U.S. Senate Committee is the candidate’s son, Jason Risch, also a lawyer in the Risch law firm.
Given these facts, questions arise whether the Jim Risch for U.S. Senate Committee’s reports under the Federal Election Campaign Act accurately reflect the receipts and expenditures made by the Risch Committee. For example: Does the Risch Campaign occupy space clearly separated from the Risch law firm? Does any re-imbursement for rent by the Risch Committee to the Risch law firm reflect the fair-market value of the space? Do Jim Risch and/or his law partners benefit by the payment of rent to the Risch law firm? Do Jim Risch and/or his law partners own the building occupied by the Risch Committee and the Risch law firm? Does the Risch Committee allocate overhead such as support staff, telephones, office equipment, etc. between the campaign and the law firm? Does the failure to allocate such costs amount to campaign contributions to the Risch Committee? Are such contributions allocated among the law firm partners? Under previous opinions, the FEC has ruled that such receipts and expenditures including allocations must be made.
Therefore, the Idaho State Democratic Party, hereby requests that the Federal Election Commission undertake an investigation of the Jim Risch for U.S. Senate Committee based upon its information and belief that the reports filed by the Risch Committee with the FEC fail to comply fully with the provisions of the Federal Election Campaign Act as amended.
And in a press release accompanying the announcement:
The Risch for U.S. Senate Committee’s FEC report fails to list whether Risch is paying rent to himself or his law partners or whether the rent is costing fair market value, as required by the Federal Election Campaign Act.
The FEC report also fails to account for the allocation of staff, telephones, office equipment or office space, and the report fails to indicate whether these costs are contributions from the law firm to the campaign or whether the campaign is paying the law firm or some independent party. The FEC has ruled that all receipts and expenditures must be reported and Risch’s report fails to do so.
The recent indictment of Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska highlights what can happen when voters elect leaders who don’t think the rules apply to them. ... Idaho needs ethical, responsible leaders who make a full, transparent accounting of their campaign activities.
Here's another take on the situation, from Betsy at Eye on Boise, whose reading of the FEC report appears different from that of the IDP. One thing seems clear, though: Between Jim Risch and Bill Sali, the FEC will be spending plenty of taxpayer dollars investigating Idaho Republicans' real or apparent failure to follow the rules.
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