First corporate PAC filed in MN

The first political action committee that intends to accept corporate donations has filed paper work with the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board. The Freedom Club Victory Committee IEC filed with the board on June 7th. The PAC is different from the Freedom Club's existing State PAC.

Gary Goldsmith with the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board said the new filing is a signal that the Freedom Club Victory Committee IEC will accept corporate funds because corporate funds can't be mixed with money raised by the group's existing PAC.

Midge Dean, executive director of the Freedom Club, confirmed the group intends to accept corporate money through the newly formed PAC.

The Freedom Club was formed by several Minnesota businessmen and women who wanted to get involved in politics. The group paid former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin $25,000 in December to appear at a fundraiser for the group.

Governor Pawlenty signed a bill last month that allows political committees to accept and spend corporate money on independent expenditures like TV ads and campaign literature. Minnesota continues to ban corporations from giving directly to candidates. The law had to be changed after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that corporations can spend money on independent expenditures.

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