January 27, 2024 9:00 p.m.
The head of Tennessee's campaign finance watchdog advises former Sen. Brian Kelsey, who is trying to overturn his federal campaign finance conviction, that he can't use political action committees to pay his lawyers. did.
Kelsey, a Germantown Republican, transferred $196,833 from his state campaign account to Red State PAC last summer and changed attorneys twice before deciding whether the money could be used to pay for legal fees in a federal case. A legal opinion was sought.
Bill Young, executive director of the Office of Ethics and Campaign Finance, told Red State PAC Chair Jennifer Martinez (Memphis) in November that state law “prevents candidates from spending their campaign funds as campaign funds.” It issued an advisory opinion stating that it is prohibited. “The candidate's own personal use” prevented PAC funds from being spent on Kelsey's legal costs.
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