- Watchdog groups filed a complaint about JD Vance's campaign and a PAC funded by Peter Thiel.
- The complaint said the campaign and the PAC used a secret website to flout campaign finance law.
- The website included campaign strategy documents, opposition research, and text for campaign ads.
A new complaint alleges Senate candidate JD Vance, a Republican from Ohio, illegally coordinated with a super PAC funded by billionaire Peter Thiel, a cofounder of PayPal and friend of Vance's.
The complaint, first obtained by The Daily Beast, was filed on Monday with the Federal Election Commission by Campaign Legal Center and End Citizens United.
The watchdog groups said Vance's campaign and Protect Ohio Values super PAC used a secret website to share information that included campaign strategy documents, polling data, opposition research, draft text for TV campaign ads, and advice on how to get an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
"This abuse is perhaps one of the clearest and most flagrant examples of a candidate and a super PAC skirting campaign finance laws," Tiffany Muller, president of End Citizens United, said in a statement. "Protect Ohio Values PAC and JD Vance's campaign completely disregarded the law as the super PAC essentially served as an all-inclusive and paid-for arm of the campaign."
Politico first reported on the website in May, saying it was a public Medium page but that the Vance campaign was the only intended audience. The outlet reported that the purpose of the site was to avoid violating federal laws that prohibit super PACs and campaigns from working together.
While such websites have been created by figures from both political parties, the extent of the information included on the site was unique, according to Politico.
"When candidates and campaigns flout federal campaign finance laws, they are fostering a system that elevates the voices of the rich and drowns out the voices of everyday Americans – increasing the risk of corruption," Saurav Ghosh, director of federal reform at Campaign Legal Center, said in a statement provided to Insider. "The FEC, which is responsible for enforcing campaign finance laws, should protect American voters against inequity and corruption in our elections."
It's unlikely the FEC will make any ruling on the complaint prior to November's elections. It's not uncommon for two, three, or even four years to pass before the bipartisan agency's six commissioners take a final vote. Even then, high-profile cases routinely end in 3-3 deadlocks along ideological lines.
Vance was trailing in Ohio's GOP primary for US Senate before receiving the coveted endorsement from Trump in April. He won the primary weeks later and is set to face Democrat Tim Ryan in the high profile race this fall.
Vance and the Protect Ohio Values super PAC did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.
Insider's Dave Levinthal contributed reporting.