Washington, DC – In light of recent reports, detailed on CREW’s FixtheFEC.org website and in today’s BNA, regarding FEC nominee Donald McGahn and his involvement in a lawsuit, which resulted from a CREW FEC complaint, CREW executive director Melanie Sloan released the following statement:

“Before voting on the nomination of Donald McGahn to be a member of the Federal Election Commission, the Senate should require Mr. McGahn to answer questions about his role in a FEC enforcement case against Tom DeLay’s former leadership PAC, Americans for a Republican Majority PAC (ARMPAC). Former ARMPAC treasurer Corwin Teltschik has sued Mr. McGahn for malpractice in federal court for settling the case, which included claims against Mr. Teltschik, without his knowledge or consent. In his complaint, Mr. Teltschik alleges that he may lose his license to practice law in Texas as a result of McGahn’s allegedly improper conduct.

If Donald McGahn committed malpractice in settling a campaign finance matter, clearly he cannot lead the agency charged with enforcing those very same laws. Mr. Teltschik’s case raises questions not only regarding Mr. McGahn’s credentials as a campaign finance lawyer, but also his understanding of legal ethics.”

CREW has launched a website, www.FixtheFEC.org, which features a petition opposing the nomination of Donald McGahn.

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Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-profit legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their actions.

For more information, please visit www.citizensforethics.org or contact Naomi Seligman Steiner at 202.408.5565/nseligman@citizensforethics.org.

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