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View Full Version : N.Ky. super PAC defends itself




Jeremy
04-26-2012, 07:35 PM
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120426/NEWS010802/304260123/N-Ky-super-PAC-defends-itself


While super political action committees have caused concerns among some about unlimited political spending, those in charge of the super PAC that supports Thomas Massie’s congressional campaign maintain they have operated out in the open and by the law.

Local Democratic organizations are calling for a constitutional amendment that would reign in super PACs. Marc Carey, one of the Republican candidates for the Fourth Congressional District, has said the super PAC supporting Massie raises questions. Super PACs, unlike regular political action committees, can't make direct contributions to a political candidate or party but can raise unlimited funds for political causes independent of campaigns.

The super PAC Americans for Growth, Opportunity and Prosperity (AmeriGOP) formed this year in Alexandria will support Massie in his bid for the Republican nomination for Congress and mailed this week its first piece supporting him.

The mailer calls Massie’s Republican opponents Gary Moore a “”big spender” and Alecia Webb-Edgington a “no-show” and has a disclaimer that the piece was not authorized by Massie or his campaign.

Carey said he thinks the super PAC might hurt Massie’s campaign and wrote about it this week on his blog.

“I only know what they say happened and based upon what they said happened, there is the clear impression that discussions relating to a super PAC and it’s support of Thomas Massie for Congress have created an impression where the public could conclude there’s coordination,” Carey said. “It raises questions. Bottom line is these guys are playing with fire.”

Massie’s campaign and AmeriGOP officials have said they haven’t coordinated their finances.

AmeriGOP officials said they’ve taken great pains to be upfront with who’s funding them and who they’re funding. Alexandria resident and pharmaceutical company executive Troy Sheldon serves as president of the PAC and put up $10,000 of the $20,722 AmeriGOP had raised as of April 20, according to Federal Election Commission reports.