FEC dismisses complaints against Burchett and Matlock in 2nd Congressional District campaign

The Federal Election Commission has dismissed complaints filed against Tim Burchett and Jimmy Matlock, competiting candidates in the 2^nd Congressional District Republican primary, reports the News Sentinel.

The FEC cleared Matlock’s complaint with a letter dated May 11.

The original complaint was filed by Knox County resident Lee Dunlap, an independent contractor, who alleged that Matlock’s campaign for the Second Congressional District took in two $500 contributions from corporations, which is prohibited. The donations came from Lange Animal Hospital and Lenoir City Animal Clinic.

After the complaint was filed, the campaign refunded the donations and Randy Lange and Barry Gordon, from Lange and Lenoir City Animal Clinic, respectively, rewrote the $500 checks from their personal accounts.

…Matlock campaign spokesman Greg Butcher said in a statement: “We expected that the FEC would dismiss that all along. Clearly, other candidates would like to try and manufacture problems for us to distract from all of their own.”

…Loudon County Commissioner Van Shaver filed the complaint against Burchett’s campaign and alleged the campaign accepted $2,700 in contributions from Stokely Hospitality Enterprises and $500 in contributions from Valliant, Harrison and Schwartz.

The Burchett campaign never refunded the donations because, as they said at the time, nothing was done incorrectly. The FEC confirmed that with their letter.

Burchett’s campaign manager, Andrew Davis, said people are tired of dirty politics.

“We said from the beginning that our disclosure was accurate and legal, but unfortunately our opponent can’t say the same about his,” he said in an emailed statement.