No Word Yet on Legality of O’Donnell’s March Fundraiser

No word yet from the U.S. Office on Special Counsel (OSC) on the resolution of the investigation of whether federal laws were violated when U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen L. Johnson title was used in connection with a March 9 fundraiser.

Both the Colorado Democratic Party and Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) asked the OSC to investigate whether the fundraiser violated the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from using their titles and soliciting contributions from groups that have business before their agency.Among the people attending the March fundraiser were representatives from El Paso Natural Gas, the Colorado Mining Association and the Colorado Petroleum Association, all of which have business before the EPA.

A Conyers spokesman confirmed that the office had not heard from the OSC yet about the case. In May, the OSC acknowledged it was looking into the complaint.

On Wednesday, the Perlmutter campaign said it was filing a complaint with the U.S. Federal Election Commission alleging that another O’Donnell fundraiser violated campaign finance law prohibiting direct corporate contributions to a campaign. The invitation for the fundraiser to the event featured the State Farm corporate logo.