Conservative group files FEC complaint against Senate candidate Dan Osborn

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - A conservative watchdog group, Americans for Public Trust, filed a complaint Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission against U.S. Senate candidate Dan Osborn, alleging campaign finance violations.

The complaint alleges Osborn used campaign committees to pay multiple family members and their businesses for services at rates exceeding fair market value, potentially violating a longstanding prohibition on converting campaign funds for personal use.

Osborn and his campaign leadership are also accused of improperly controlling two federal political action committees, or PACs: the Working Class Heroes Fund and the League of Labor Voters.

Americans for Public Trust alleges Osborn and his associates directly or indirectly established the PACs and now finance, maintain and control both groups. The organization further alleges the PACs paid Osborn, his family members and their businesses.

“Osborn has engaged in various tactics, including using a defunct campaign account, to enrich members of both his immediate and extended family,” Caitlin Sutherland said, executive director of Americans for Public Trust. “In addition to lining the pockets of his close relatives, who appear to lack notable professional campaign experience, Osborn is racking up federal campaign finance violations by orchestrating a scheme that appears to involve illegally running and controlling multiple federal PACs.”

Federal law prohibits candidates for federal office, or their agents, from controlling or raising money for certain outside groups, often referred to as “soft money” organizations, according to Americans for Public Trust.

A spokesperson for the Osborn campaign provided the following statement to 10/11:

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