Election Panel Fails to Probe GOP, Suit Says

WASHINGTON — Common Cause said Thursday that it has filed suit against the Federal Election Commission for failing to act on a complaint that the National Republican Senatorial Committee made more than $4 million in illegal contributions in 1986.

The civil suit was filed earlier this week in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Common Cause said that by law the Senate GOP campaign committee may not make contributions of more than $17,500 to any one candidate. It said that the committee maintained it had collected more than $4 million in earmarked checks from donors and passed them on to candidates.

But Common Cause argues that the checks were not earmarked and that the checks were made out to the committee, which determined which candidates would get the money.

Under law the FEC must conduct an investigation on a properly executed complaint within 120 days if the commission has reason to believe a violation of the election law occurred. The suit said more than 280 days have passed since the complaint was filed and no action has been taken by the FEC.

A spokeswoman for the FEC said that the Common Cause complaint was still pending and that the issues involved could not be discussed until a ruling is made. She said that the FEC has not been served with the lawsuit and, therefore, had no comment.