June, 15 2010, 01:34pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Jordan Libowitz,,jlibowitz@citizensforethics.org,.
CREW Asks South Carolina AG to Investigate Whether Alvin Greene was Induced to Run and Files Complaint with FEC
WASHINGTON
Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW),
took two significant actions against the questionable Democratic
candidate for South Carolina Senate, Alvin Greene. In a letter to South
Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster, CREW asked for an
investigation into whether Mr. Greene was induced to run for the Senate
in violation of South Carolina law.
CREW also filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission
(FEC) alleging that primary-winner Greene and three other candidates in
the June 8, 2010 Democratic primary in South Carolina: Gregory Brown,
Ben Frasier and Brian Doyle and their campaign committees, violated the
Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) and FEC regulations by failing to
file mandatory disclosure reports prior to the election.
Melanie Sloan, CREW's Executive Director, said "The people of South
Carolina have a right to fair, transparent and fraud-free elections.
Paying candidates to run for office and concealing the sources of
campaign funds undermines the integrity of the electoral process and
threatens our democracy."
The inducement to run complaint stems from questions regarding Mr.
Greene's ability to pay the filing fee for his candidacy. Mr. Greene
originally attempted to pay the $10,440 filing fee with a personal
check, which the South Carolina Democratic Party rejected. He returned
later that same day, March 16, 2010, with a check with the name "Alvin
M. Greene for Senate" handwritten as payor. Mr. Greene claims the
funds came from a personal savings account, but has refused to provide
documentation of the account.
Mr. Greene was discharged from the Army in August 2009, is currently
unemployed and lives with his father. In addition, when Mr. Greene was
charged with obscenity in November 2009 for showing pornography to a
University of South Carolina student, he was assigned a public defender,
a service normally provided only to indigent defendants.
CREW's complaint to the FEC alleges Mr. Greene failed to file a
Statement of Candidacy and that his campaign committee, Alvin M. Greene
for Senate, failed to file a Statement of Organization as well as the
April 15th and 12-Day Pre-Primary reports. These reports would have
disclosed the campaign's contributions and expenditures leading up to
the June 8, 2010 primary.
The complaint also alleges that Gregory Brown, Ben Frasier and Brian
Doyle and their campaign committees also violated the FECA and FEC
regulations by failing to file the April 15th Quarterly Report and
12-Day Pre-Primary Reports when they were due.
CREW asked the FEC to refer any knowing and willful violations to the
Department of Justice for criminal prosecution.
Read
CREW's FEC complaint and the complaint's
exhibits.
Read
CREW's letter to South Carolina Attorney General McMaster.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting ethics and accountability in government and public life by targeting government officials -- regardless of party affiliation -- who sacrifice the common good to special interests. CREW advances its mission using a combination of research, litigation and media outreach.
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