CREW lodges FEC complaint against Sen. Vitter

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission Thursday against Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), his campaign and a dry cleaning company.

CREW's complaint alleges that the company, U.S. Dry Cleaning Corp., reimbursed four of its employees and their spouses for $38,400 in contributions to Vitter's reelection campaign in order to get the first-term Republican's assistance in obtaining federal stimulus funds, according to a release.

Earlier this week, CREW told the Ballot Box the complaint would focus on the donor, not Vitter. 

"The FEC should investigate to determine the extent of U.S. Dry Cleaning's campaign finance law violations as well as whether Sen. Vitter knowingly participated in this illegal scheme," CREW executive director Melanie Sloan said in a statement Thursday.