By Mansur Shaheen
John James’ campaign for Senate is the target of another complaint to the Federal Elections Commission, this time from the End Citizens United political action committee.
Per the complaint obtained by Bridge Michigan , the group alleges James broke campaign finance laws during his 2018 campaign against U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow when he used money from his corporate coffers to fund a super PAC ad to benefit his own campaign.
James now faces Sen. Gary Peters.
“In the final days of his campaign it appears that he had the company where he was CEO, Renaissance Global Logistics, contribute $10,000 to the Super PAC supporting his candidacy for a last-minute advertising buy, during the very short window just before the election when the transaction would not be disclosed until after people had voted,” the complaint reads.
This is the fourth FEC complaint filed against the James campaign in 2020. In late August, Michigan Democrats filed a complaint alleging that James had coordinated with a dark-money group with ties to Mitch McConnell. Michigan Democrats filed a complaint against James in January, and then once again in March, regarding his alleged illegal coordination with the dark money group Better Future Michigan.
“It appears that John James broke the law and hoped no one would catch him. In light of this new information, the FEC should immediately investigate John James and hold him accountable,” Tiffany Muller, president of End Citizens United, said in a statement.
James campaign spokesperson Abby Walls told Bridge the complaint is a “laughable accusation regarding 2018 activity leveled in an attempt to save a failing U.S. senator’s campaign.”
The Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, a conservative nonprofit, filed an FEC complaint against Peters in December 2019, alleging the senator had posted talking points on his website in order to instruct outside organizations on what issues to run ads on. The Michigan GOP also made the similar allegations against Peters in early September.
End Citizens United is a PAC that was formed in 2015 with the goal to reverse a Citizens United Supreme Court decision in 2010 that allows corporations and other private businesses First Amendment rights to free speech, allowing them to donate to and support political campaigns.