CREW wants probe of Ohio campaign ads

A national congressional ethics watchdog group today asked the Federal Election Commission to investigate a conservative non-profit it charges ran political TV ads in Ohio on the eve of the 2012 election without disclosing nearly a million dollars in expenditures.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington allege the non-profit, Checks and Balances for Economic Growth, violated campaign finance laws by failing to disclose to the FEC it had spent nearly $900,000 on two ads attacking President Obama and Ohio Democrat Sen. Sherrod Brown. CREW says the ads were political ads and violated federal reporting rules.