Washington, D.C. – The NRSC is taking action in light of Wednesday’s Politico story that detailed Senator Raphael Warnock’s improper use of campaign funds to help fight a personal lawsuit.
Yesterday, the NRSC filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) regarding the illegal use of funds to pay a notorious liberal attorney to fight a personal lawsuit stemming from 17-year-old allegations.
You can read the complaint here.
From the Politico story:
“Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) used campaign money to cover legal expenses for a lawsuit relating to his time as a church minister — transactions that raise questions about whether the spending runs afoul of federal rules governing personal use of campaign funds.
…he enlisted his campaign attorneys from Elias Law Group to represent him in the case, along with an Atlanta firm, Krevolin & Horst, which assisted ELG.
The issue for Warnock is whether this was a proper use of campaign funds…
Charlie Spies, a Republican attorney specializing in political law, said the bottom line is whether Warnock would have incurred the expense as a private citizen. And in this case, Spies said, the answer is yes.
‘If Warnock is using campaign money to pay for a lawsuit that predates his running for office, then by definition it existed irrespective of his candidacy and would be impermissible to use campaign funds on,’ said Spies, who previously served as counsel to Mitt Romney’s 2008 presidential campaign and to the Republican National Committee.”
Statement from NRSC Chairman Rick Scott: “Like a true Washington politician, Raphael Warnock is using the trappings of his office to fund his personal lifestyle. Senator Warnock clearly violated FEC rules and used his campaign account on personal expenses. The NRSC will continue to hold Senator Warnock accountable, not only for his flagrant abuse of his office, but also for his continued support of Joe Biden’s agenda that is crushing Georgia families with record-high gas and grocery prices.”
###
