FEC complaint filed against Fred Thompson

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- A left-wing blogger has filed a U.S. Federal Election Commission complaint against likely presidential candidate and former senator Fred Thompson.

Lane Hudson, a blogger who posted damaging e-mail messages from former Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., during the congressional page scandal in 2006, said Thompson, a former U.S. senator from Tennessee and likely Republican presidential hopeful, has been violating the FEC's "testing the waters" clause, The Hill reported Wednesday.

Thompson "has been presenting himself as a candidate, he has been raising large sums of money beyond what would be required to explore a possible candidacy and he has signed a long-term lease on a headquarters for his campaign," Hudson said.

Hudson cited Thompson's extensive fundraising as well as quotes from the prospective candidate and his advisers in his complaint.

"Fred Thompson is breaking the law and it's time somebody did something about it," Hudson said in a statement. "So, this morning, I filed an FEC Complaint against him. For far too long, he has been ignoring the letter and spirit of Federal Election Law for his own political benefit."