Washington, DC – Campaign Money Watch, a nonpartisan campaign finance watchdog group, announced today it has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission concerning Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) presidential campaign, asking the commission to investigate two issues related to Tom Loeffler, Susan Nelson, and Rick Davis, the lobbyists that run and have fundraised for McCain’s White House bid.

The organization also began running a television ad regarding John McCain’s intervention in an Air Force contract worth up to $100 billion that was awarded to Airbus, its parent company, and partners. Seven lobbyists aiding John McCain’s campaign worked for Airbus’ American affiliate, and McCain received more in campaign contributions from them than any other politician.

The ad can be watched at http://www.campaignmoney.org/mccainairbus and the complaint can be read in its entirety at http://www.campaignmoney.org/mccainfec.

“Both the complaint and the ad go to the heart of one of the most troubling aspects of McCain’s campaign – his symbiotic relationship with powerful Washington big money lobbyists and fundraisers,” said Campaign Money Watch director David Donnelly. “John McCain has refused to answer questions regarding excess contributions, illegal corporate donation, or both. By filing this complaint, we will force him to end his stonewalling on these matters. By running this ad, we will force a debate on his relationship with lobbyists and fundraisers on his campaign.

“The FEC complaint is directly connected to the ad: The same lobbyists that aided Airbus are at the center of activity that we have reason to believe violated federal election law,” Donnelly continued.

The first part of the complaint asks the FEC to investigate whether McCain’s national finance director, lobbyist Susan Nelson, received illegal compensation from The Loeffler Group, a lobbying firm founded by Tom Loeffler, who resigned in May as McCain’s national finance co-chair. The money Nelson received from the firm was ostensibly for work for the lobbying firm’s clients, though records do not indicate any recent lobbying work by Nelson. The McCain campaign has refused to explain what services Nelson provided for Loeffler’s clients.

The second part of the complaint concerns a possible illegal corporate donation from 3eDC, a private Web company partly owned by campaign manager and lobbyist Rick Davis. Before Davis became campaign manager, the campaign incurred more than $1 million worth of bills from 3eDC. Soon after Davis assumed the reins of the campaign, however, that bill was reduced by $107,475 without documentation. There is reason to believe that the company made an illegal corporate contribution to the campaign.

McCain’s cozy relationship with lobbyists is also the subject of the ad that is on the air today in the Washington, D.C., market and released online to the group’s 150,000 email subscribers. The spot draws attention to a defense contract awarded to Airbus and its parent company EADS and partners, over Boeing. McCain’s intervention helped Airbus land the contract, worth up to $100 billion. Seven Airbus lobbyists are top fundraisers or staff members for McCain’s presidential campaign. McCain also has received more in political contributions from Airbus than any other politician.

“Sen. McCain’s intervention to help Airbus land this contract raises important questions about the influence lobbyists and political contributions have on his decision-making and whether he can provide the change America needs,” Donnelly said.

Campaign Money Watch, a project of the nonpartisan Public Campaign Action Fund, works to hold politicians accountable for opposing comprehensive campaign reform, and for doing favors for big money donors and lobbyists. In mid-May, Campaign Money Watch launched FiretheLobbyists.com to call on Sen. McCain to remove lobbyists from his campaign team.