Democrats file FEC complaint against Tarkanian

Nevada Democrats filed a campaign finance complaint Wednesday charging Republican U.S. House candidate Danny Tarkanian received a $500 illegal contribution and maybe more.

Tarkanian's campaign should not have taken the donation from Haig's Quality Printing in Las Vegas because corporate contributions are against the law, the Democrats said in the complaint sent to the Federal Election Commission.

Tarkanian's latest campaign report to the FEC also is not clear on three other contributions from Nevada entities that might be corporations as well, according to the complaint.

Also, the Republican's campaign appears not to have properly disclosed 14 contributions from partnerships and may have accepted an excessive contribution from one of them.

Democrats said Tarkanian also has not yet updated his reports to reflect the status of $66,126 in personal loans he had made to his campaign in 2010 when he ran for the Senate.

“Danny Tarkanian is basing his candidacy on his supposed background as a successful businessman, but he can’t even fill out simple paperwork correctly,” state Democratic Chairwoman Roberta Lange said in a statement.

Tim Williams, political director for the Tarkanian campaign, said he had not yet seen the complaint.

"We are going to look into it," Williams said. "We are talking about a process question. We are going to sit down and look at it and talk to the FEC and take care of it."

Tarkanian, who raised $345,585 in the first three months of the year, is considered a frontrunner for the Republican nomination to Congress to represent the new 4th Congressional District.

Other Republicans running include state Sen. Barbara Cegavske, businessman Dan Schwartz and retired Army veteran Kenneth Wegner. Democrats are running state Sen. Steven Horsford, the Senate majority leader.

The new district includes urban North Las Vegas, a part of Lyon County and all of five other rural counties -- Esmeralda, Lincoln, Mineral, Nye and White Pine.