FEC Clears Talent Of Allegations He Violated Campaign Finance Laws

The Federal Elections Commission says Senator Jim Talent violated no federal campaign finance laws by setting up a committee before officially announcing his candidacy. The Democratic Party had complained that Talent accepted excessive salaries from Washington University and a Washington D.C. lobbying firm while he investigated whether to run for the Senate. Talent was paid $90,000 a year for teaching three courses at the University, and got $230,000 from the lobbying company. A spokesman for the State Democratic Party says the Commission let Talent off the hook and is too weak to enforce campaign finance laws.