Pruitt’s Capitol Hill Condo Fallout Hits a Republican Senator
By: Ari Natter, Bloomberg Politics, April 19, 2018
The Capitol Hill condo that landed EPA administrator Scott Pruitt into a whirlwind of controversy may ensnare another Washington power broker.
Committees for Idaho Republican Senator Mike Crapo hosted a series of campaign fundraisers at the crashpad used by Pruitt. But the committees didn’t report making any payments to the owner of the condo, according to the Campaign for Accountability, a watchdog group that has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission.
Federal Election Campaign Act and FEC regulations require all political committees to disclose any contributions or expenditures that exceed $200, the Washington-based group said. If the condo was provided for free it could constitute a “in-kind contribution” that should be reported.
The watchdog group has also filed a complaint about lobbyist Vicki Hart, a co-owner of the condominium at 223 C Street Northeast, who is married to J. Steven Hart, a lobbyist and chairman of Williams & Jensen.
“It’s not that complicated: lobbyists can’t let senators host fundraisers at their businesses for free,” said Daniel E. Stevens, the Campaign for Accountability’s executive director. “If Senator Crapo or the lobbying power couple of Vicki and J. Steven Hart violated federal law, they should be held accountable.”