Complaint filed against MEA for illegal mailing

Back on April 27 I broke the story about East Lansing's MEA breaking the law in their illegal campaign contributions. The Argus on May 2 confirmed the illegalities by the MEA.

The campaign finance laws are tricky in some respects. Other parts are basic and no brainers. Now, the MEA's PAC is an elite campaigning organization. They know all the tricks. This one was a no brainer. I think everyone knows that all the campaign advertisements to the public need to disclose the committee which paid for them, as well as the address of that committee.

MEA-PAC made the decision to mail out illegal independent expenditures in support of their two candidates, Dan Fondriest and Ed Literski. On their expenditure, they did not mention they were from East Lansing, nor did they disclose who paid for those advertisements. It was a shady move, and thanks to a few watchful eyes, they got caught.

This is an open and shut case. As such, I did the proper thing and filed a formal complaint with the bureau of elections against the East Lansing based MEA PAC. This complaint was strictly my work and not the work of any organization officially, nor unofficially. If this was a oversight missing just the "Paid for by" message, I'd let it go. If it just missed a return address, I'd let it go. Missing both is flat out unacceptable. Maybe a $1000 fine will send a message.