Sherrod Brown faces ethics complaint over alleged illegal campaign donations

The reelection campaign of Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and other Democratic-aligned groups are being accused of soliciting excessive campaign contributions.

An ethics complaint filed to the Federal Elections Commission on Wednesday by the conservative watchdog group Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust seeks civil penalties against Brown’s campaign, in addition to the Ohio Democratic Party and the Ohio Grassroots Victory Fund political action committee.

“It may look as if Sen. Brown is using a complex fundraising scheme, but the reality is it appears he is simply seeking campaign contributions above the legal limit,” FACT Executive Director Kendra Arnold said in a statement. “The law must be strictly enforced against all candidates, but it is especially egregious when a long-serving U.S. senator seems to be violating this law — and the trust the public has placed in him.”

Brown, who chairs the Senate Banking Committee, is one of several Senate Democrats facing a competitive reelection battle this year in a swing state that could determine control of the chamber.

Neither Brown nor the state party responded to a request for comment.

The FEC’s individual donor cap for a candidate is $3,300 per election. The complaint accuses the groups of flouting federal fundraising limits by continuing to raise money designated for Brown’s primary campaign after the March 19 election, which is only allowed if campaigns have outstanding debts.

It also alleges that contributions to the Ohio Democratic Party should have been counted as contributions to Brown because they were “earmarked” for the campaign or otherwise knowingly designated for it in fine print on donation webpages to fund “voter turnout operation to get Sherrod across the finish line this November.”

Brown is facing off this November against Republican Bernie Moreno in what could be one of the country’s most expensive Senate races.

Brown has raised nearly $40 million this cycle, according to FEC records through March. He’s secured nearly $42 million in ad reservations, including more than $13 million for fall ads that start after Labor Day, according to ad-tracking firm AdImpact Politics.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Moreno has raised $11.2 million in the same time span.

Nonpartisan election forecasters consider the contest a toss-up, but Brown has maintained a slight edge over Moreno in recent polls ranging 4-6 percentage points.