Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a complaint with elections regulators Tuesday alleging that an outside political group failed to file with the Federal Election Commission after airing television ads on behalf of former Rep. Bob Schaffer’s (R) Senate campaign.

In the ad paid for by U.S. Term Limits, which was removed from YouTube by Wednesday afternoon, children and parents thank Schaffer by name for his support of charter schools. The group’s name appears at the end of the spot.

CREW contends the ad violates federal law in two ways — by naming the candidate and by not including a voiceover at the ad’s conclusion.

“Anyone who pays for an ad expressly advocating the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate is required to file a report describing the expenditure within 48 hours after the ad first runs,” according to a CREW statement Wednesday. “This ad first aired on March 26, 2008, meaning that a report should have been filed with the Commission no later than 11:59 p.m. on March 28, 2008, but no report was filed.”

CREW added: “Second, such television ads must include an audio statement that the person paying for the communication is responsible for the ad’s content, which the USTL ad does not.”

— Matthew Murray