Complaint filed alleging illegal coordination in Scott Wiener PAC expenses

Saikat Chakrabarti has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission alleging that Senator Scott Wiener's congressional campaign may have improperly coordinated with a political action committee called Families for an Affordable San Francisco, Mission Local reported.

The complaint centers on shared expenses and staff paid by both the PAC and the campaign, which Chakrabarti's filing suggests could indicate that the PAC funded work beyond what is legally allowed, according to Mission Local.

While a 2024 FEC advisory opinion permits PACs and campaigns to collaborate on canvassing, the complaint argues that Wiener's campaign and PAC may have crossed legal boundaries in other areas.

Specifically, the complaint highlights shared costs for food, a DJ at a party, and office space. Although these expenses can be legally shared if the campaign reimburses the PAC at fair market value, the complaint states that Wiener's campaign reimbursed only one third of these costs, suggesting improper accounting.

Mission Local noted that the complaint raises questions about the extent and nature of coordination between Wiener's campaign and the PAC, which could have implications for campaign finance compliance in San Francisco.

The FEC complaint follows an earlier article in the Washington Sun that brought attention to the alleged coordination issues.