Sep 27 2008
Lawsuit filed in Pitt County to stop illegal campaign practices by national political committee
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 25, 2008
Lawsuit filed in Pitt County to stop illegal campaign practices by national political committee
Press Contact: Kieran Shanahan
Office: 919-856-9494
Cell: 919-264-7515
COURT SET OCTOBER 10th HEARING
GREENVILLE, N.C.-The Pitt County Republican Party and an aggrieved voter have filed a lawsuit today in Pitt County Superior Court against the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee ( a Washington, D.C. based “527″ ) and the DLCC North Carolina PAC (a North Carolina “Campaign Committee.”) The lawsuit accuses the 527 D.C. based organization and the NC PAC of engaging in illegal campaign activities.
Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that the NC PAC is really the alter ego of the 527 D.C. organization. The 527 D.C. organization accepts and spends corporate contributions, which are unlawful for North Carolina political committees. The lawsuit also alleges improper reporting and failure to report by the organizations.
The lawsuit also alleges the unlawful activity of “giving in the name of another,” a crime which ultimately led to the incarceration of former Speaker Jim Black. It is noteworthy that Jim Black was at one time the Finance Chairman of the 527. The lawsuit is asking a Pitt County Superior Court Judge to enter an injunction prohibiting the 527 and its alter ego from making expenditures in this year’s election.
Kieran J. Shanahan, Principal of the Shanahan Law Group, who is serving as legal counsel to the Plaintiffs said: “The injunction sought in this lawsuit is essential to the voters in North Carolina if we are to have a fair and honest election conducted on a level playing field.” Shanahan further stated: “It is regrettable that the Board of Elections has ignored its own staff’s warnings about this situation and that it has failed to act to protect the integrity of the voting process in North Carolina.”
Some of the charges in the lawsuit include:
- That the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, which is based in Washington, D.C., accepted corporate contributions and illegally transferred them to the DLCC North Carolina PAC in an effort to influence legislative elections in North Carolina.
- That the Washington D.C. based Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee failed to properly file any disclosures with the N.C. State Board of Elections.
- That the Washington D.C. based Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee raised and accepted money in its name, then transferred the money to the DLCC North Carolina PAC as contributions purportedly under the original contributor’s name.
Kimberley Hendrix, the Plaintiff suing as an aggrieved voter, said: “The people of North Carolina are tired of folks from outside of North Carolina trying to influence our elections. And, if you are going to get involved, you need to play by the rules.”
THE COURT HAS SCHEDULED A HEARING ON PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION ON OCTOBER 10 IN THE PITT COUNTY COURTHOUSE, GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.
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