FEC dismisses complaint against Reid

[brooklynite]

WASHINGTON - The Federal Election Commission has dismissed a complaint a conservative group filed against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid over his use of campaign money to pay holiday bonuses at the hotel where he lives.

FEC staff concluded that partly because of the small dollar amount involved — $3,300 — the complaint did not merit pursuing, according to a report by commission staff released Friday by Reid's office. Based on that report the commission voted Feb. 21 to dismiss the complaint, which was filed by Citizens United, a conservative activist group.

Reid, D-Nev., reimbursed the money to his campaign committee after The Associated Press reported on the matter last October.

He had argued that the payments to the doorman and other support staff at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Washington, where he has a condo, were approved by lawyers and permissible as a gift of nominal value on a special occasion, something he said was permitted under federal election law.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070316/ap_on_el_ge/reid_campaign_complaint_1

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