On December 19, 2011, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) requesting an investigation to determine whether Newt Gingrich’s production company, Gingrich Productions, Inc., made tens of thousands of dollars in illegal corporate contributions to his presidential campaign. CREW’s complaint is based on a report earlier this month in the Washington Post that the Gingrich campaign had paid Newt Gingrich $42,000 for the use of his personal mailing list. The personal financial disclosure form filed by Gingrich when he became a presidential candidate, however, did not include the mailing list among his assets. CREW alleges the mailing list was the property of Gingrich Productions and Mr. Gingrich appears to have converted campaign funds to his personal use by accepting the $42,000 payment for the use of the mailing list. CREW also asked the FEC to investigate whether Gingrich Productions illegally subsidized Mr. Gingrich’s presidential campaign by holding campaign events in conjunction with his book signings.
Original Title
Complaint - CREW: FEC: Request for Investigation into Newt Gingrich for Alleged Personal Use of Campaign Funds: 12/19/2011
On December 19, 2011, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) requesting an investigation to determine whether Newt Gingrich’s production company, Gingrich Productions, Inc., made tens of thousands of dollars in illegal corporate contributions to his presidential campaign. CREW’s complaint is based on a report earlier this month in the Washington Post that the Gingrich campaign had paid Newt Gingrich $42,000 for the use of his personal mailing list. The personal financial disclosure form filed by Gingrich when he became a presidential candidate, however, did not include the mailing list among his assets. CREW alleges the mailing list was the property of Gingrich Productions and Mr. Gingrich appears to have converted campaign funds to his personal use by accepting the $42,000 payment for the use of the mailing list. CREW also asked the FEC to investigate whether Gingrich Productions illegally subsidized Mr. Gingrich’s presidential campaign by holding campaign events in conjunction with his book signings.
On December 19, 2011, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) requesting an investigation to determine whether Newt Gingrich’s production company, Gingrich Productions, Inc., made tens of thousands of dollars in illegal corporate contributions to his presidential campaign. CREW’s complaint is based on a report earlier this month in the Washington Post that the Gingrich campaign had paid Newt Gingrich $42,000 for the use of his personal mailing list. The personal financial disclosure form filed by Gingrich when he became a presidential candidate, however, did not include the mailing list among his assets. CREW alleges the mailing list was the property of Gingrich Productions and Mr. Gingrich appears to have converted campaign funds to his personal use by accepting the $42,000 payment for the use of the mailing list. CREW also asked the FEC to investigate whether Gingrich Productions illegally subsidized Mr. Gingrich’s presidential campaign by holding campaign events in conjunction with his book signings.
FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION
In the matter of
Newton L. Gingrich
Calista Gingrich
‘Newt 2012, Ine. and Lisa Lisker, in her MUR No. __
capacity as Treasurer of Newt 2012, Inc
Gingrich Productions, Ine.
COMPLAINT
|. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethies in Washington ("CREW") and Melanie
Sloan bring this complaint before the Federal Eletion Commission (“FEC”) seeking an
immediste investigation and enforcement action against Newton L. Gingrich, Callista Gingrich,
‘Newt 2012, In., and Gingrich Productions, Inc. for direct and serious violations ofthe Federal
Election Campaign Act (“FECA”).
‘Complainants
2 Complainant CREW is non-profit corporation, organized under section
'501(c)3) ofthe Internal Revenue Code, CREW is committed to protecting the righ of citizens to
be informed about the activities of government officials and to ensuring the integrity of
government officials. CREW is dedicated to empowering citizens to have an influential voice in
{government decisions and in the govemmental decision making process. CREW uses a
sion of research, tigation, and advocacy to advance its mission
2. In furtherance ofits mision, CREW seeks to expose unethical and iegal conduct
ofthoseinvolved in government. One way CREW does this is by educating citizens ‘garding
the integrity ofthe electoral process and our system of government, Toward this end CREW
‘monitors the campaign finance activities of those who run for federal office and publiczes those‘who vilate federal campaign finance laws, Through its website, press leases and other
rethods of dstibution, CREW also files complaints with he FEC whee it discovers violations
ofthe FECA, Publicizing campaign finance violators and fling compla nts with the FEC serves
(CREW misionofkepin the public informed about individuals and ents tat wolate
campsign finance laws and detering future violations of campaign finarce la
4. Inonderto assess whether an individual, candidate, poltal committee or other
regulated entity is complying with federal campaign finance law, CREW needs the information
contained in receipts end disbursements report hat political committees must file pursuant to
the FECA, 2 USC. §434(a)2); 11 CER. § 104.1. CREW is hindered in its programmatic
activity when an individual, candidate, political committee or other regulated entity fil to
éisclose campaign finance information in reports of receipts and disbursements roquired by the
FECA.
5. CREW relies onthe FEC’s proper administration of the FECA’s reporting
requirements because the FECA-mandated reports of receipts and disbursements are the only
source of information CREW can use to determine ia candidat, poitel committee or other
regulate entity is complying with the FECA, The proper administration ofthe FECA’s
‘poring requirements ineludes mandating that ll rpors of receipts an dlsbursements required
by the FECA are properly and timely filed withthe FEC. CREW is hindered in ts programmatic
activity when the FEC fails to propery administer the FECA’ reporting requirements
6. Complainant Melanie Sloan isthe executive director of Citizens for
Resporsibility and Ethics in Washington, a citizen ofthe United States anda registered voter
and resent ofthe District of Columbia. As a registered voter, Ms, Sloen is entitled to receive
information contained in reports of receipts and disbursements required by the FECA, 2 US.C. §434(a)(2j 11 CER. § 104.1. Ms, Sloan is harmed when a candidate, political committee or
other regulated entity fils wo report campaign finance activity as required by the FECA. See
FEC v. Akins, 924 US. 11, 19 (1998), quoting Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1, 6667 (1976)
(political committees must disclose contributors and disbursements to help voters understand
‘who provides which candidates with financial support), Ms, Sloan is Further harmed when the
FEC failsto properly administer the FECA's reporting requirement, limiting ther ability to
review campaign finance information
7. Newton L. Gingrich (hereinafe
Republican nomination tobe President ofthe United States andthe former Chief Executive
Officer 0° Gingrich Productions, Ine
8. Callie Gingrich isthe wife of Newt Gingrich and the current Chief Executive
Officer Gingrich Productions, ine.
9. Newt 2012, Inc. is « Georgia non-profit corporation andthe principal campaign
‘committer of Newt Gingrich
10, Lisa Liskr is the Treasurer of Newt 2012, ne
11. Gingrich Produetions, Ine. sa Georgia for-profit corpration that sells books
authored by Newt and Calista Gingrich
Factual Allegations
12, uring the frst week of March 2011, News Gingrich began accepting