Joe CarrNASHVILLE - The Federal Election Commission is raising questions about Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Joe Carr's latest campaign finance disclosure.
In a letter to Carr's campaign treasurer dated Monday, FEC officials are seeking, among other things, to determine whether a $9,564.54 contribution made March 31 by Nashville-based Life Watch Pharmacy LLC is an illegal corporate contribution.
Carr is seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in the Aug. 7 primary against incumbent Lamar Alexander.
The letter from senior campaign finance analyst Carolina Mongeon notes that limited liability corporations may make campaign contributions "providing the LLC is treated as a partnership for tax purposes, and has not elected to be treated as a corporation by the Internal Revenue Service."
Mongeon asks the campaign to amend the filing to clarify Life Watch Pharmacy's status that it is allowed to contribute under the Federal Election Campaign Act.
Tennessee Secretary of State corporate filings show the firm was created as an LLC but do not address the tax issue raised by the FEC.
According to filings on HIPPASpace.com, a website offering Medicaid verification for medical providers, Lifewatch Pharmacy is associated with M2G Med-Management Group. The lone "member" or principal listed is Nashville health care investor Andrew Miller, a sometimes controversial figure.
In 2012 Miller gave more than $260,000 to two super PACs -- Citizens 4 Ethics in Government and the Congressional Elections PAC -- that ran a series of ads blasting U.S. Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn. Miller earlier was finance committee chairman for Black's then-challenger, Lou Ann Zelenik.
Miller also served on the board of the Tennessee Freedom Coalition, which is opposed to the spread of Islamic Sharia law.
Corporate contributions are legal for state candidates but forbidden by federal law.
The FEC letter also questioned two contributions that appeared to breach the $2,600 individual limit per election, and asked why some of Carr's expenditures were not explained.
Last month, the Times Free Press reported that Carr was months late filing his required financial disclosure for U.S. Senate candidates. Later, the campaign filed the paperwork, calling it an oversight.
Efforts to reach Carr by cellphone and his campaign manager Donald Rickard were unsuccesful Thursday.
Contact staff writer Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-255-0550.