Hahn Campaign Files FEC Complaint

Los Angeles City Councilwoman 's congressional campaign filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday following the release of  that portrays Hahn as a stripper with gun-toting gang members taking money from her.

The complaint to the commission asked for enforcement action against Republican tea party candidate Craig Huey, the Friends of Craig Huey for Congress committee and the group Turn Right USA, which produced the YouTube video attacking Hahn, a Democrat.

Turn Right USA is a new so-called "Super PAC" that filed papers June 13 with the Federal Elections Commission as an Independent Political Action Committee, according to commission documents.

These types of committees are allowed to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money, but can have no communication or coordiantion with the campaign they support. Turn Right USA released its online video the day after filing with the Federal Elections Commission.

The Hahn campaign's complaint alleged that Turn Right USA used the same Gardena address as CampaignLA, a political campaign shop that has been listed in Huey's FEC disclosure reports as one of his campaign vendors.

The TurnRightUSA.org website also listed the email address "doug@campaignla.com" as the registering agent for its domain name, the complaint said.

The complaint also pointed to a press statement released Wednesday by Turn Right USA that said G. Rick Marshall, the founder of the Turn Right USA political action committee, was previously a volunteer for the Huey campaign, but "left over its strategic direction." 

The complaint said that Turn Right USA has made a prohibited coordinated campaign contribution to Huey's campaign; Craig Huey and the Friends of Craig Huey for Congress committee received an illegal coordinated contribution and Turn Right USA has issued a false disclaimer by stating in the online ad that it was "NOT authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee."

“If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, acts like a duck—it’s a duck,” said Hahn's campaign manager Dave Jacobson on Thursday. “Craig Huey and his campaign consultants need to own up to their role in producing this unconscionably sexist and racist attack ad. The people of the 36th district do not want to be represented by a man who uses such shockingly vile tactics and then lies about it in an attempt to cover up his involvement.”

The ad, titled "Give us your cash, b--ch," was immediately condemned by Hahn and Huey upon its release.

"Along with many other residents of the South Bay, I am outraged over this racist and sexist ad," Huey said in a statement. "I unequivocally denounce it … The ad was not authorized and not affiliated with my campaign."

In a statement on her website, Hahn called the ad "degrading to women in the worst way" and encouraged supporters to donate to her campaign to "send a message to Craig Huey and his cronies that the people … deserve better."

Jimmy Camp, Huey's campaign spokesman, vehemently denied the allegation that Turn Right USA and the Huey campaign coordinated with each other.

"There is absolutely no connection between the Huey campaign and [Turn Right USA]," he said. "I am offended by the ad. I am offended by the group. I think they're despicable for distracting the voters of this district with this crap."

Hahn and Huey were the top two-vote getters in a May special primary election that drew more than a dozen candidates vying to fill the 36th Congressional District seat that became vacant when longtime Rep. Jane Harman (D-Venice) resigned in February to join a Washington, D.C.-based think tank.

They will face each other in a July 12 runoff election.