Former Sen. Larry Craig’s use of campaign funds for PR and legal support during a Senate Ethics Committee inquiry was deemed permissible by the Federal Election Commission, according to a June 11 court filing. But the FEC has sued the disgraced senator for alleged misuse of more than $200K from his campaign coffers used to mount a legal defense after his infamous 2007 arrest for allegedly soliciting sex in an airport bathroom.
The FEC noted Craig hired Impact Strategies, the D.C. PR firm of crisis guru Judy Smith, to handle press inquiries during his arrest, conviction and legal efforts to overturn his conviction after he pleaded guilty.
The FEC said the large sum was raised by Craig for U.S. Senate but converted for personal legal expenses related to his arrest and later, ultimately unsuccessful, effort to get a guilty plea reversed. The FEC filed suit June 11 in federal district court for Washington, D.C., seeking an injunction against future, similar violations, an order for Craig to repay the funds to his campaign, and civil penalties.
Craig, a Republican of Idaho, left the senate in January 2009 after completing his third term.
The suit quotes a Senate Ethics Committee “public letter of admonition” dated February 13, 2008 against Craig: “It appears that you have used over $213,000 in campaign funds to pay legal (and, apparently, “public relations”) fees in connection with your appeal of your criminal conviction and in connection with the preliminary inquiry before the Committee in this matter,” read the letter, which admonished Craig for not seeking the committee’s approval to use campaign funds for such purposes, per a senate rule.
According to the court complaint, an administrative complaint was filed with the FEC in November 2008 and the commission in May 2009 ruled that Craig’s use of campaign funds to pay the Brand Law Group and Impact Strategies was permissible. But the FEC voted unanimously, 5-0, in February 2012 that there is “probably cause” to believe Craig’s use of campaign funds for legal fees and expenses for his attempt to withdraw his guilty plea constituted personal use.
The suit names Craig, Craig for U.S. Senate, and treasurer Kaye O’Riordan as defendants.