Visclosky OK'd to Use Campaign Cash for Legal Fees

In a unanimous vote, Federal Election Commissioners have given U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky the green light to use his campaign funds to pay for legal fees associated with a federal investigation into his former top fundraiser.

The agency’s six commissioners voted Thursday to allow Visclosky’s re-election committee to use campaign funds to pay fees “incurred … in connection with a federal investigation into the alleged provision of illegal campaign contributions by the PMA Group and its clients … and Representative Visclosky’s allegedly improper earmarking of appropriations for clients of PMA.”

The FBI conducted a raid on the now-defunct Virginia-based lobbying firm in November. The firm was long Visclosky’s top source of campaign contributions.

Read more: (Christine Kraly, “Visclosky OK’d to Use Campaign Cash for Legal Fees,” The Times of Northwest Indiana, 6/19/09)