SCGOP joins 17-state FEC complaint over Biden-Harris campaign funds transfer

(The Center Square) — The South Carolina Republican Party joined its counterparts in more than a dozen other states and territories in filing a Federal Election Commission complaint against Vice President Kamala Harris and her presidential campaign.

The SCGOP joined other state parties and other groups in the complaint, which centers on transferring $96 million in campaign funds from President Joe Biden, who dropped out of the race less than a week ago. They contend the formal nomination process at the Democratic National Convention must take place before the money can be transferred.

The parties say the "Biden for President" campaign committee changed its name to "Harris for President" concurrently with the president's announcement he would no longer seek reelection in November.

"The South Carolina Republican Party hopes that the Federal Election Commission will take urgent action to stop this illegal and unethical transfer of funds," SCGOP Chairman Drew McKissick said in a statement. "The law is clear: those funds were given to 'Biden for President', not 'Harris for President', or even 'Biden-Harris', and Joe Biden can't simply give her 96 million dollars.

"There is no joint bank account with a vice-presidential candidate until after they officially become the nominees of their Party. This was a blatant, illegal money grab, pure and simple," McKissick added. "Though the Democrat Party claims to be the 'Party of Democracy', they don't seem to have a problem ignoring their own primary voters or campaign finance law."

The South Carolina Democratic Party did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the complaint.

For their part, Democrats are no strangers to FEC filings.

On Thursday, the Democratic National Committee said it filed an FEC complaint against Independent presidential candidate Cornel West's campaign and three groups they said have ties to the Republican Party. Democrats accuse West's campaign of "accepting illegal in-kind contributions" from Republican operatives as part of an effort to secure ballot access in North Carolina and Arizona.