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GOP files FEC complaint against Callahan

The state Republican Party has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, accusing Democrat John Callahan of violating campaign finance law by using his mayoral campaign committee to pay for background checks totaling close to $10,000.

The Callahan campaign conducted background checks on the candidate himself last year while he was considering a run for Congress. Callahan, the mayor of Bethlehem, used money from his local campaign account to pay for the background checks after consulting with legal counsel, because he had not yet declared his candidacy in the 15th Congressional District against incumbent Republican Charlie Dent.

State GOP chairman Rob Gleason accused Callahan of “having knowingly misled both the FEC and the people of the 15th District.

But Callahan campaign manager Justin Schall said the federal committee reimbursed the mayoral committee in January, after Callahan declared his candidacy, and that the expenditure would appear in first-quarter campaign finance reports to be filed later this year.

”This is a ridiculous complaint,” the Callahan campaign said in a statement, first reported by The Morning Call, ”and Charlie Dent knows it.”

February 18, 2010 at 3:08 pm

--Donald Hoegg

Tags: Charlie Dent, John Callahan, PA-15, Republican Party

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