Congressional candidate Theo Milonopoulos filed a lawsuit Sunday against the University of California and UCLA for allegedly sponsoring a political campaign event by authorizing funding for a student group.
In a press release announcing the lawsuit, independent write-in candidate Milonopoulos accused UCLA of authorizing Progressive Leaders for Democratic Action, a student-run organization, to financially sponsor a campaign event last week called “PDLA Presents Progressive Congressional Candidate: Marianne Williamson” at UCLA.
On Friday, Joe Cicero, the president of the Southern California chapter of Americans for Democratic Action, said the group applied for funding from the Undergraduate Students Association Council for the event and that it was not funded by the campaign.
Progressive Leaders for Democratic Action was founded in April and announced its endorsement of Williamson on May 7. The Southern California chapter of Americans for Democratic Action also endorses Williamson for Congress.
Under the federal Internal Revenue Code, charitable organizations, including non-profit, public higher education institutions such as UCLA, are prohibited from any participation in political campaigns.
If the court finds that UCLA violated the federal code, the school could face tax penalties and risk losing its status as a tax-exempt institution of higher education.
At the event last Thursday, Williamson spoke about her political views and allegedly gave out campaign paraphernalia, Milonopoulos said.
Milonopoulos said he thinks refreshments at the event were donated by Williamson’s supporters. On May 8, Progressive Leaders for Democratic Action advertised for paid canvassers to campaign for Williamson on the group’s Facebook page, offering $14 an hour for five-hour weekday and weekend shifts. Williamson’s campaign also sponsored three days of advertising for the event in the Daily Bruin, Milonopoulos said.
Milonopoulos also filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission’s Office of General Counsel against the Williamson campaign on Friday for allegedly violating federal election and campaign finance laws.
UCLA officials, Progressive Leaders for Democratic Action, Cicero and Williamson’s campaign could not be reached for comment by press time.
Compiled by Emily Liu, Bruin contributor.