Melancon files Vitter ethics complaint

[ccharles000]

Louisiana Rep. and Democratic Senate candidate Charlie Melancon filed an ethics complaint against Sen. David Vitter Tuesday, accusing the Republican incumbent of violating federal ethics laws by sending out a fundraising letter on official letterhead.

The four-page letter in question, dated Feb. 10, includes an image of a bald eagle with outstretched wings, clutching arrows and an olive branch.

"In other words, a facsimile of the Great Seal," Melancon campaign manager Bradley Beychok wrote in the official complaint.

Beychok cited the Senate Ethics manual to argue that the use of such a seal in campaign material is improper: "These actions constitute an ethical violation and deserve investigation by the Senate Ethics Committee."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34136.html