Watchdog asks for criminal probe of conservatives tied to nonprofit

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a political watchdog, is calling for a criminal investigation of three prominent conservatives in connection with their involvement with a “dark money” nonprofit that in Oct avoided punishment from the Federal Election Commission.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington is also suing the Federal Election Commission for failing to act against the now-defunct nonprofit, even though agency lawyers concluded that the group broke the law in 2010. The so-called dark money group spent most of the $4.8 million it raised on campaign ads -- contrary to what it reported to the Internal Revenue Service. The request for an investigation names the alleged architects of the Commission for Hope, Growth and Opportunity: William Canfield, now general counsel for pro-Carly Fiorina super PAC CARLY for America; Scott Reed, senior political strategist for the US Chamber of Commerce and Wayne Berman, a senior adviser for Blackstone Group, a global investment firm, who also serves as national finance chairman for presidential candidate Sen Marco Rubio (R-FL).