Complaint alleges Marsha Blackburn coordinates with PACs

A nonprofit group, Tennessee Citizen Action, is filing a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging coordination between Republican Marsha Blackburn’s U.S. Senate campaign and at least three political action committees, the group said in a news release.

The complaint is based on FEC reports and remarks from Blackburn political consultant Ward Baker, according to the release. It is illegal for campaigns to coordinate with PACs.

“The people of Tennessee deserve to know if the Blackburn campaign is using these outside groups to circumvent campaign finance law,” Tennessee Citizen Action executive director Andy Spears said.

The complaint notes Baker’s comments about Club for Growth, Americans for Prosperity and the Senate Leadership Fund. Baker said he’s a senior adviser to the Senate Leadership Fund and highlights the great relationship the Blackburn campaign has with Americans for Prosperity.

The complaint alleges Baker’s remarks “provide reason to believe groups including Club for Growth, AFP, and Senate Leadership Fund have made or intend to make in-kind contributions to the campaign in the form of ‘coordinated communications.’ This is a clear violation of [the Federal Election Campaign Act] and warrants an investigation by the FEC.”