Today, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) decided Norm Coleman (R-MN) could use campaign funds to pay legal fees:

The Federal Election Commission has ruled that former Sen. Norm Coleman can use campaign money to pay for legal bills to address allegations involving a donor.

The agency's ruling Thursday said the Minnesota Republican can use the money for legal bills linked to two lawsuits. They allege that a former Coleman donor funneled at least $75,000 to an insurance company that employed Coleman's wife.

CREW is disappointed, but not surprised, that the FEC allowed Coleman to use campaign funds to pay legal fees in two corporate shareholder lawsuits in which he is not even a party. We are pleased, however, that the Commission put former Senator Coleman on notice – as CREW had recommended -- that today's advisory opinion does not allow him to use recount funds to pay his legal fees in the shareholder lawsuits or the FBI and Senate Ethics Committee investigations. CREW will be closely monitoring former Senator Coleman's upcoming reports to the FEC and if it appears that he has used recount funds to pay his own personal legal expenses, we will file a complaint with the Commission.

Separately, we find it incredible that three FEC commissioners take the view that the Commission does not have the power to address questions regarding the application of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) raised by those who submit comments on draft advisory opinions. Why bother to have a public comment period if the FEC will not address legitimate issues raised by the public? The advisory opinion approved today specifically states it is based on former Senator Coleman's request "and publicly available information."

CREW executive director Melanie Sloan said:

To assert the Commission must put on blinders to avoid addressing any FECA issue other than the narrowly-tailored one raised by the requestor is irresponsible. It turns the advisory opinion process into a game whereby the requestor can obtain permission to engage in activities - and obtain immunity for doing so - by merely leaving out inconvenient facts.