Four 2016 Hopefuls Accused of Violating Election Law

Campaign watchdog groups say three potential Republican presidential candidates and one Democrat are violating election law by using outside groups as shell campaigns while they test the political waters.

The Campaign Legal Center and Democracy 21 have filed complaints with the Federal Election Commission against Republicans Jeb Bush, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Rick Santorum, as well as against Democrat Martin O’Malley, accusing the four of breaking rules governing undeclared candidates, The Hill reports.

"These 2016 presidential contenders must take the American people for fools — flying repeatedly to Iowa and New Hampshire to meet with party leaders and voters, hiring campaign staff and raising millions of dollars from deep-pocketed mega donors, all the while denying that they are even ‘testing the waters’ of a presidential campaign," Paul Ryan, senior counsel for the Campaign Legal Center, said in a statement.

"But federal campaign finance law is no joke and the candidate contribution limits kick in as soon as a person begins raising and spending money to determine whether they’re going to run for office. Bush, O’Malley, Santorum and Walker appear to be violating federal law."

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