CA-25: FEC Complaint Filed over Buck and Patricia McKeon Mailer

Rep. Buck McKeon and his wife, Patricia McKeon, a candidate for California Assembly with House Speaker Boehner

From the press release:

Dr. Lee Rogers, who is running for Congress in California’s 25th District, filed a complaint and supporting documentation with the Federal Elections Commission today about the use of a Buck McKeon for Congress campaign mailer to benefit his wife and Campaign Treasurer, Patricia McKeon, a State Assembly candidate.

Lee Rogers released the following statement:

“Rep. McKeon violated the law by sending out a campaign mailer warning voters that Paul Strickland – one of Patricia’s opponents in the State Assembly race – is not related to State Senator Tony Strickland. Rep. McKeon is not running against a Strickland and such a clarification is unnecessary for his Congressional campaign. The purpose of this communication was to help Patricia’s Assembly race since Paul Strickland is the fortunate recipient of some name-misidentification. It is improper and the complaint we filed this morning brings that to light.

“Congressman McKeon can’t use funds raised for his federal campaign for communications to benefit his wife’s Assembly run specifically because she is an agent of his campaign committee and the expenditure would not be “independent” as required by campaign finance law.

“Because Patricia McKeon serves as her husband’s Campaign Treasurer, she can’t receive any beneficial communication for her State Assembly race from Buck McKeon for Congress. The two roles have to be completely separate.

“Buck and Patricia McKeon need to play by the same rules as everyone else.”

Dr. Roger’s has a good point, but ethics has never stepped in the way of a McKeon campaign.

The ethics of the entire Team McKeon WILL be an issue going into the November general elections, particularly if Patricia McKeon wins a spot in the top two next Tuesday.