FEC dismisses election complaint against Reid

The Federal Election Commission has dismissed a complaint filed by a Henderson man who claimed aides to Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., improperly tried to influence a seniors group and Jewish veterans organizations in last year's campaign.

Jonathan Levenson, president of the Clark County chapter of the National Council of Senior Citizens, said the actions could have jeopardized the tax-exempt status of the nonprofit, nonpartisan groups.

The FEC dismissed the complaint on May 19. The ruling was disclosed on Thursday.

Levenson contended the senator's deputy press secretary David Cherry called him on June 30, 1998, to suggest he attend a news conference by the Nevada branch of the National Council of Senior Citizens.

Reid had scored 100 percent on a survey of voting issues important to seniors, compared with 40 percent for Rep. John Ensign, R-Nev., who was challenging the senator. Ensign lost the election by 428 votes.

Levenson later learned that Cherry had apparently contacted other members of the Clark County chapter with prepared letters to the editor to be signed as if written by individual members. He complained the staffer tried to use the group.

A Washington attorney representing Reid argued that even if Levenson's complaint was true, it would not violate the federal campaign laws.

The FEC agreed. It said the complaint was less significant than other matters pending before the commission.

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