House Republicans Chairmen Question DC AG Investigation of Leonard Leo Affiliated Nonprofits

The EO Tax Journal reported that two Republican Chairmen in the House of Representatives have launched an inquiry into the District of Columbia Attorney General's investigation focused on Leonard Leo and several nonprofits with which he is affiliated. Lest there be any doubt about the reasons for their inquiry, here are the opening paragraphs of their press release:

Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) sent a letter to Washington, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb demanding information on his politically motivated investigation of Leonard Leo and certain nonprofit groups he is affiliated with.

Leonard Leo was baselessly accused of receiving "excessive payments for consulting and other services from the several conservative nonprofit groups" by the Campaign for Accountability with no evidence to substantiate the complaint. Now, he is being investigated by Attorney General Brian Schwalb even though he and the organizations with which he is affiliated are based outside of Washington, D.C.

Their full letter to the DC AG is available here.

Setting aside the partisan issues their inquiry raises, the question of whether the DC AG's investigation is appropriate given where the nonprofits are based does raise an interesting internal affairs doctrine issue, as Ben Leff previously discussed in this space.  

Lloyd Mayer