NASHVILLE, TN — Tennessee Citizen Action, a nonprofit public interest organization, is filing a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging coordination between the campaign and a number of Political Action Committees (PACs).

The complaint is based on information contained in FEC reports and remarks made by a paid political consultant to the Blackburn campaign.

"Based on remarks made by Ward Baker, it appears sufficient grounds exist to investigate possible coordination between the Blackburn for Senate campaign and at least three outside groups,” said Andy Spears, executive director of Tennessee Citizen Action. “Such coordination is a violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act. The people of Tennessee deserve to know if the Blackburn campaign is using these outside groups to circumvent campaign finance law.”

Specifically, the complaint notes comments made by Mr. Baker in reference to Club for Growth, Americans for Prosperity, and Senate Leadership Fund. Baker specifically notes he’s a senior adviser to Senate Leadership Fund and highlights the great relationship the Blackburn campaign has with Americans for Prosperity.

Gerard Stranch, an attorney representing Tennessee Citizen Action, describes the essence of the formal complaint, “The public remarks of Marsha for Senate’s paid political consultants provide reason to believe groups including Club for Growth, AFP, and Senate Leadership Fund have made or intend to make in-kind contributions to the campaign in the form of ‘coordinated communications.’ This is a clear violation of FECA and warrants an investigation by the FEC.”