7 Oct 2003 // Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a non-profit, non-partisan public interest law firm, sent a letter to the IRS requesting an investigation into the failure of Americans for a Republican Majority Political Action Committee ("ARMPAC") to report Bacardi as a contributor to a golf event hosted by Congressman Tom DeLay in Puerto Rico in February 2002, as required by law.

A February 25, 2002, Chicago Tribune article reported that Bacardi contributed liquor and hats for an event during a golf weekend for large donors to ARMPAC. The same article noted that U.S. Tobacco had contributed cigars and wine.

Federal law requires that all contributions, whether in cash or in-kind, must be reported on IRS form 8872s, which PACs must file quarterly. On the 8872 for the first quarter of 2002, ARMPAC reported US Tobacco as a contributor, but failed to include Bacardi. ARMPAC held three other events in Puerto Rico as well, but did not report Bacardi as a contributor to any of those events either. CREW has asked the IRS to investigate whether Bacardi was a contributor to any of those events as well.

Notably, Bacardi has been a large contributor to DeLay, donating $20,000 to ARMPAC, $20,000 to Texans for a Republican Majority PAC, and $3,000 to Mr. DeLay's legal defense fund. On the other hand, DeLay has also taken strong positions favoring Bacardi. Currently, DeLay is seeking an amendment to the Department of Defense reauthorization bill on behalf of Bacardi, which would give Bacardi rights to the "Havana Club" rum label, despite the fact that major corporations, including Halliburton, Kodak, Ford, General Motors, and DuPont, are opposed to the legislation.