Washington, DC, — Earlier today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) regarding a new political ad funded by a recently formed 527 organization, Empower Illinois Media Fund, as well as against candidate for U.S. Senate Alan Keyes and wealthy Keyes supporter Jack Roeser.

CREW filed the complaint after learning that Empower Illinois Media Fund has begun running ads in central Illinois against Democratic Senate nominee Barack Obama. The 30 second ad, which superimposes a running commentary atop a photograph of Mr. Obama, blatantly attacks Mr. Obama in direct violation of federal campaign finance law.

CREW’s executive director Melanie Sloan stated “Empower Illinois, which was founded only this past August by the former treasurer for the Jack Ryan campaign committee, has made no secret that its goal is to defeat Barack Obama. It was created as a vehicle through which Jack Roeser could make an end run around campaign contribution limits. Today, CREW is calling on the FEC to immediately investigate and stop Mr. Keyes, Mr. Roeser and Empower Illinois from attempting to illegally influence the Illinois Senate campaign.”

CREW’s complaint alleges that because a major purpose of Empower Illinois Media Fund is to influence the upcoming election, it is a “political committee” under FEC law and must comply with the same contribution limits and reporting requirements followed by other political committees.

The complaint alleges that Jack Roeser, who has committed to spending $100,000 in support of Mr. Keyes’ candidacy, made a $40,000 donation to Empower Illinois Media Fund less than 2 weeks before the ad began airing on October 12, 2004; that Empower Illinois is illegally coordinating its activities with the Keyes for Senate campaign committee; and that Empower Illinois is engaging in “electioneering communications” by running ads within 60 days of the election, specifically naming and using the likeness of Senate candidate Barack Obama.

Sloan stated, “it cannot be a coincidence that Jeffrey Davis, who created Empower Illinois is a paid Republican political consultant and is the former treasurer for the Ryan campaign. Given the circumstances, any claim that Empower Illinois is actually an independent organization with any purpose other than that of defeating Barack Obama cannot even pass a straight face test. Alan Keyes’ use of a 527 organization to run negative campaign ads is clearly illegal and unethical and it is up to the FEC to stop it.” A copy of the complaint can be found on the web at www.citizensforethics.org.