RPOF Files FEC Complaint Over Morgan & Morgan Ad

The Republican Party of Florida filed an official complaint with the Federal Elections Commission over a Morgan & Morgan TV ad featuring Charlie Crist.

The ad airedSunday on WCTV, aCBS Tallahassee affiliate station.

Crist's employer and large Democrat donor John Morgan said the airing was a mistake and should have been pulled.

"If it ran it was an error by the TV station," said Morgan. "All ads featuring Charlie were taken down the day he announced."

But the RPOF saysTV ads being run by Morgan & Morganfeaturing Charlie Crist are an unreported in-kind contribution that far exceeds the statutory contribution limit of $3,000 per person.

"It appears as though trial lawyer Charlie Crist continues to receive unreported help from his trial lawyer partners at Morgan & Morgan, but this shouldnt come as a surprise," said RPOFExecutive Director Juston Johnson."Like the Morgan & Morgan billboards featuring Charlie, these TV ads are a clear violation of the law because, as a declared candidate, they qualify as a reportable contribution. Failing to report the TV ads is a clear breach of the law and a promise to work 'for the people.'"

Crist spokesman Eric Conrad brushed off the accusations, instead choosing to attack Gov. Rick Scott over a depositionin which he invoked the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution 75 times.

"Typical Rick Scott attacking others -- in this case a small business for making an honest mistake, while he is allowed to plead the Fifth 75 times," said Conrad. "He is the last person who should be lecturing someone else for a mistake especially one that was thanking law enforcement officers and firefighters for their work.