Democrat Madeleine Dean Hit with Ethics Complaint for Allegedly Misusing State Campaign Funds for Congressional Race

Nonpartisan ethics watchdog Americans for Public Trust (APT) filed a complaint against Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA), contending that the Pennsylvania Democrat allegedly violated federal election law and House ethics rules by using donations for a state race for her congressional race, which reportedly violates FEC contribution rules.

Before Dean became a member of Congress, she ran for lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania. APT contended in their complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) that the Pennsylvania Democrat continued to spend donations she received while running for lieutenant governor, which reportedly violates FEC donation standards.

APT also filed an ethics complaint against Rep. Lucy McBath (D-GA), contending that the Georgia Democrat allegedly violated federal election law and House ethics rules by coordinating with the gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety.

The nonpartisan ethics watchdog contended that contributions to a state campaign are not subject to the same reporting contribution limits as federal contributions.

Adam Laxalt, an outside counsel for APT, told Breitbart News that allegedly misusing state contributions in this manner would allow Dean “in theory to raise millions of dollars outside the federal limits and just transfer over” to a congressional race.

“They’re illegal, and they clearly give her a competitive advantage in a congressional race,” the APT outside counsel added.

Former Dean joined the halls of Congress; she was an English professor at LaSalle University who taught ethics.

During a campaign rally in the 2018 cycle, former President Barack Obama touted Dean’s tenure as an ethics professor.

“Moms who fought to protect our kids from gun violence, like Madeleine Dean,” Obama said. “Madeleine taught ethics in college, so, you know, we need that in Congress.”

“To renege on that particular campaign pledge seems particularly betrayal to voters,” said outside counsel Laxalt.