A top aide to Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-Hawaii, resigned Wednesday to avoid being a distraction in the congresswoman’s primary campaign against Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii.

Chris Raymond, former deputy chief of staff to Hanabusa, had emailed other staff members that the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America “has committed to pulling together an independent expenditure on CH’s behalf,” according to a copy of the email obtained by the Washington Post. This type of coordination is not permitted between those doing independent expenditures and the candidate.

The Honolulu Star Advertiser reported an attorney in Hawaii had filed a compliant with the FEC earlier this week asking for an investigation of the email.