Tony Cook for the Las Vegas Sun reports Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., made dozens of campaign fundraising phone calls last spring from his district and Washington, D.C., offices, according to a former Porter staffer and e-mails obtained by the Sun.
The former staffer, Jim Shepard, a 10-year veteran of Capitol Hill who worked briefly for Porter this year, said he witnessed Porter making the calls on at least five different dates last spring. Such calls would violate federal election laws and House ethics rules.
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Federal law makes it "unlawful for an individual who is an officer or employee of the federal government, including the President, Vice President, and Members of Congress, to solicit or receive a donation of money or other thing of value in connection with a Federal, State, or local election, while in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties by an officer or employee of the United States, from any person."
The law carries a penalty of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
U.S. House of Representatives ethics rules specifically ban soliciting campaign contributions in or from any House office, room or building.
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