CREW FILES FEC COMPLAINT AGAINST GROVER NORQUIST AND KEN MEHLMAN

18 May 2004 // Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging that Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform and Bush-Cheney '04 violated federal campaign laws. According to The Washington Post, Norquist gave Ken Mehlman, the campaign manager for Bush-Cheney '04 a "master contact list," including the names and information of conservative activists in 37 states compiled by Norquist over a period of 5 years.

CREW's complaint alleges that both parties are in violation of the law regardless of whether Mr. Norquist or Americans for Tax Reform actually contributed the list. Because Americans for Tax Reform is a corporation and campaigns are prohibited from accepting contributions from corporations, Bush-Cheney could not accept the list if it came directly from Americans for Tax Reform.