montana democratic party complaint against ryan zinke and sofa
DESCRIPTION
The Montana Democratic Party has filed an FEC complaint against Ryan Zinke and the super PAC he founded, Special Operations for America PAC. The complaint focuses on the coordination between Zinke and SOFA PAC.TRANSCRIPT
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5/24/2018 Montana Democratic Party Complaint Against Ryan Zinke and SOFA
http:///reader/full/montana-democratic-party-complaint-against-ryan-zinke-an
MONT NDEMO R TS
P.O.Box 802Helena MT59624
Tel 4O6-442-952OFax 4O6-442-9534
June30,2014
Mr. LeeGoodmanChairmanFederal Election Commission999EStreet, NWWashington, DC 20463DearMr.Goodman:
Bythis letter, I would like to file aformalcomplaint against RyanZinkeandSpecial Operations forAm ericaPA C( SOFA ). SOFAw as foundedbyRyan Zinkein2012. Ac cording to pressreports1,SOFA wasfounded out of anger that President Obamawas taking credit for themission that killed OsamaBinLaden. However, duringthe2012 election cycle,itappears that SOFA only spent $7,000on independent expendituresopposing Barack Obama. Therestof theover$180,000raisedby SOFA in2012 went tooperatingcosts,including paymentstoZinke'sconsulting firm, Continental DivideInternational,and toBattle Plan Strategies,aconsultingfirmbelongingto Scott Hommel,SOFA'streasurerandZinke'sformerchiefof staff.
While Zinke claimed thatthe hecreated SOFA forGod and country , andpubliclydeclared2thathewouldnottakeapaycheck, these paymentsto his owncompany would seemto suggest otherwise.In2013, SOFA raisedover $1.3million dollars. Ofthat amount over $900,000was raised during thesecondhalfof2013,thesame timethatRyanZinkewas exploringhis run for Congress. Mr. Zinke subsequently filed paperwork w ith the Federal Election
CommissiononOctober24,2013to run for the A t-LargeDistrictfor theHouseofRepresentatives from thestate ofMontana. Inadd ition, accordingto FECreports,Mr.Zinke'sfirm received paymentsforSOFAinearly 2013,aswellas alarge travelreimbursement in August of 2013, a period in which the PAC does no t appear to have
1 GOP Con gressional Candidate Using Campaign Money SchemePioneeredby. . .Stephen Colbert ,Mother Jones November I, 20132SpecialOp erations fo rAmericawebsite,August2, 2012
P ID FORBYTHE MONTANA DEMOCR TS _
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5/24/2018 Montana Democratic Party Complaint Against Ryan Zinke and SOFA
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beenactivein anycampaigns. Thus, this large travel reimbu rsement begsthequestionastothe relationship to the travel payment and Mr.Zinke s exploration of his candidacy.
According to pressreports3 Mr. Zinke resignedfromSOFA on September 30,2013,merely 2 4 days prior to filing his campaign paperw ork with the FEC. According toa latefiledForm 24 and its2013 Year-End report, SOFA began disseminating advertisingsupportingMr.Zinke s electiononOctober, 22,2013,priorto Mr.Zinke sfilingof hiscampaign's paperwork and a mere 22 daysafter Mr. Zinke's resignationfrom SOFA.
Since September2013,SOFA has reported spending over $200,000 oncommunications advocatingtheelectionof Mr.Zinke. Inaddition, SOFAhasbeensoliciting con tributions specifically for M r.Zinke scampaign. In fact, donors whogavemorethan $50 were beingoffered a Ryan Zinke commemorative coin.In ad dition,in2013,both SOFAandZinke's campaign comm ittee reporthiringthe same individual for purposes of research consulting, during the same m onth. The
Zinke campaign reports paying $1,412.75 to Lester Cooper of Charlottesville,VA onNovem ber 21 of 2013, while SOFA reports paying Coopertwice;$1,000 on August 15 of2013, andagainfor$3,030.45onNovember4 of2013. Thegroups'hiringof the sameindividual just days apa rt would certainly facilitate coordination between the two, and itwould seemveryunlikely that informationCooper gained whileperforming research forone entity did notinformhis actions and decisions while employed by the other. Thiswouldconstitute an illegal coordination if Cooper used his knowledge of SOFA'sintentions to make independent expenditures on Zinke sbehalf during his subsequentemployme nt with Zinke's campaign comm ittee.
Based upontheabove,i tappears asthough SO FA 's actual purposefor the 2014cyclewas to be thededicated SuperPAC for Mr.Zinke s congressional campaign.Althoughthis pheno menon is not unique, what is unique is the factthat SOFA wascreated by M r. Zinke and controlled by him until a mere few days prior to the creation ofhis own campaign com mittee. There fore, it strains credulity for SOFA to argue that ithad spontaneously decided to support Mr. Zin ke's campa ign subsequen t to hisresignation, independentlyfrom Mr.Zinkeand hiscampaign, wheninfact, itbegandisseminating communications supporting his campaign prior to the establishment of Mr.Zinke sowncampaign committee.
Based upontheabove,andinformationan dbelief,I request that the FECthoroughly investigatethe connections between SOFAandRyanZinke scampaigncommittee. I believe a thorough investigation will reveal that Mr. Zinkeleft SOFA with aturn-key independent expenditureoperation tosupporthis campaign andtherefore, allcommunications disseminated by SOFA would result in coordinated communications asdefinedby the Federal Election Commission in 11C.F.R . 109.21(b). In addition, sinceSOFAwasestablishedby Mr.Zinke,i tsstatusas anindependent expenditure onlycommittee that is making communications in support of his candidacy must be called into 3 GOP Congressional CandidateUsing Campaign Money SchemePioneered by...Stephen Colbert ,Mother Jones November1 2013
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5/24/2018 Montana Democratic Party Complaint Against Ryan Zinke and SOFA
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question. Ultimately,the Commission must determine that SOFA is affiliated with Mr.Zinke s camp aign comm ittee. 11 C.F.R. 100.5(g).The Commission must promptly and aggressively investigate these clearviolationso f federal campaign finance regulations and seek any and all injunctive and
financial penalties permitted by law.
Sincerely
SWORNTO NDSUBSCRIBED beforemethis 6_day of un 2014
No RL L DUNH MNOT RYPUBLICfor thetate ofMontanaResidingatBillings Montanay CommissionExpiresJuly19 2 15
DarlaL.Dunham
ResidingatBillings MontanaYellowstoneCounty
MyCommissionExpires: July 19 2 1
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5/24/2018 Montana Democratic Party Complaint Against Ryan Zinke and SOFA
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in
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Bowditch DeweyRE Eiv
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June 14. 2012
Via redKx Tracking A a. 7985IOISSM7tFederal Eleclion CommissionATTN:Statement of Organization999 EStreet, NWWashington.DC 20463
Rt Special Operations for America,Independent ExpenditureCommitteeTo Whom IIMay Concern:
For filing,kindly find the enclosed Statement o f Organization (Form 1) and the enclosedindependent Expenditure Committee Letter (IE-Only Letter . If you have a ny questions, pleasecontact me. Thankyou.Regards,
VincenlDcVito
cc: ChnstophcrHyatt (w/cnclosurcs)
Admiuim Dh>k of TitlmnhU -Cinnmcnmatlh of Mu*rfruMte - Ste)f of Mm V U M I Moor i
*4 fT.CO
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5/24/2018 Montana Democratic Party Complaint Against Ryan Zinke and SOFA
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SpecialOperations For America336West2nd StreetWhilefeb MT 59937
June 14, 2012
Federal Election Comm ission
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5/24/2018 Montana Democratic Party Complaint Against Ryan Zinke and SOFA
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rFEC
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5/24/2018 Montana Democratic Party Complaint Against Ryan Zinke and SOFA
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r nFEC Form1 [RmM
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5/24/2018 Montana Democratic Party Complaint Against Ryan Zinke and SOFA
http:///reader/full/montana-democratic-party-complaint-against-ryan-zinke-an
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5/24/2018 Montana Democratic Party Complaint Against Ryan Zinke and SOFA
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5/24/2018 Montana Democratic Party Complaint Against Ryan Zinke and SOFA
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5/24/2018 Montana Democratic Party Complaint Against Ryan Zinke and SOFA
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He'srunning forCongress because America needs him He has earnedoursupportand Ihopevoiwillsupportour effortstohelphim winwithacontributionof 10. ^5. 50. 100. 175, 250. 500.oreven 1.000today.And ifyour contribution is 50 ormore, willsendyou alimited edition Spec ia lOperationsfo rAmer icaRyan Zjnke bronze challengecoinas atokenof our thanks,personalkeepsake.
an dreminderof thevaluesyou and RyanZinkeshare
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5/24/2018 Montana Democratic Party Complaint Against Ryan Zinke and SOFA
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Image*H960347B43SCHEDULE :ECForm 3X]ITEMIZED DISBURSEMENTS Use separatescheduledlo>each category ot IheDetailedSummary Pagt>
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Any information cooied tramsuchRooorlsand Statements may nol De sow or usedby any person lor thepurpose Qt solicitingcontributionsor (or commercial purposes, other than usingthpname and addressot anypolitical committee10 solicit contributions Irom suchcommittee.\EOF COMMITTEE |ln Full| SPECIAL OPERATIONSFORAMERICA
FujiName (Last. Fust. Middle Initial)A- LESTER COOPER
2013
City Stale 2ipCodeCHARLOTTESVILLE VA 22901Purpose3 DtsbufsernantRESEARCH CONSULTING.. ij Idlbf .Lie
OttKeSought. HU.IS,.-SenatePresident
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DisbursementFor.Primary GeneralOlder {specify) y
Caiegory/Type
Transition ID SH21B.21?02
Amount ol Eacfi DisDursement this Period100000
FijiName (Last. First. Middle initialB. LESTER COOPERMailing Address 1111 TIMBER TRAIL DR
Dale olDisbursement
11 4 2 13CyCHARLOTTESVIU E
SlateVA
J-. Code22901
RESEARCH CONSULTING
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DisbursementForPnmaryOther
Category/Type
TranuctkxiID . SB21B.21913
Amountol Eacn OiSOursemeniihisPetiod3030.45
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5/24/2018 Montana Democratic Party Complaint Against Ryan Zinke and SOFA
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SCHEDULE B (FECForm3)ITEMIZED DISBURSEMENTS Usa sepaiate schedulers)toreach category ot ..-DetailedSumrmry Page
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Senate V Primary GeneralPresioenl Olfier (specify)
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Amourfl of Eacn Disbursemenl Mus Period289.00
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Date ot Disbursement
11 21 2 13
Amountol EactiDisburaemenl this Period1412.75
Transaction10:B6AE21657B16540FA96B