Campaign link removed from Grayson site

A link to Rep. Alan Grayson's (D-Fla.) campaign website has been removed from his new website designed to document people who have died from lack of health insurance.

The National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC) yesterday pointed out that Grayson may have violated House ethics rules and campaign law for launching the site, which contained links to both his campaign and official House website.

Grayson electoral opponent Patricia Sullivan (R) on Thursday announced she would file a House ethics complaint against him.

Grayson spokesman Todd Jurkowski said in an e-mail that the link was taken down on the congressman's own accord and was not ordered to do so.

The congressman responed to the NRCC's allegations by denying any wrongdoing.

"There are no violations. Once again, the Republicans are trying to change the subject from what matters to what doesn’t matter," Grayson said. "Why can’t they talk about the issues? In the hours since they started complaining about this, more than 100 people have died because they do not have health insurance."

He concluded, saying "let's talk about saving lives, not about baseless complaints about violations that did not occur."

The congressman, who gained attention for saying that Republicans' health plan is for ill people to "die quickly," paid for the site, titled namesofthedead.com, with personal funds.

NRCC spokesman Andy Seré pointed out the change in an e-mail.

Grayson spoke about his site on the House floor yesterday, which may have violated a rule against directing attention to a campaign entity while serving in an official House capacity. The

Earlier today it was reported that Jurkowski said that the congressman read the ethics rules before creating the site, but is now consulting with relevant House and campaign committees regarding the site.