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Can Publishing Newspapers Violate Campaign-Finance Laws?

In the run-up to 2016 primary, Republican activist Dan Proft created a bunch of newspapers that supported candidates he favored. The money came from a Super PAC Proft runs-- and by law, Super PACs are not supposed to have any contact with candidates. A Federal Elections Commission complaint-- filed by one of Proft’s political adversaries-- charges that he’s violating that law. However, Proft says the super PAC no longer publishes the newspapers. After the primary, they were taken over by a new for-profit corporation. In which Proft has a controlling interest. The “about” page for one of the papers says it is “funded in part, by advocacy groups who share our beliefs in limited

 
Illinois Republican Gubernatorial candidate Dan Proft argues his point during a debate between the Illinois Republican candidates for Governor in Springfield, Ill., Monday, Dec. 14, 2009.

Dan Proft argues his point during a debate when he was running for Illinois governor in 2009.

AP Photo/Seth Perlman

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — One of several startup newspapers tied to a conservative Illinois activist is being challenged as political campaign material in a complaint before the Federal Election Commission.

Darien Democrat Kim Savage says the DuPage Policy Journal is a Republican mouthpiece for GOP congressional candidate Tonia Khouri against incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Foster and costs should be reported as political contributions. The paper is one of 14 that businessman and talk-show host Dan Proft started last spring.

Savage’s complaint was filed last week. It says the newspapers are not independent but controlled by Proft’s political action committee.

Proft says the newspapers are owned and distributed by a private company and are legitimate policy forums. He calls the complaint “factually incorrect in every possible way.”

Foster’s campaign declined comment.

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