Kid Rock fired back at the media and left-leaning watchdog group Common Cause on Friday over accusations that he is violating federal election law by failing to register as a candidate for the U.S. Senate and complying with campaign contributions rules.
“I am starting to see reports from the misinformed press and the fake news on how I am in violation of breaking campaign law,” the veteran rocker wrote in a blog post on his website.
“#1. I have still not officially announced my candidacy,” he wrote, adding: “#2 See #1 and go f*ck yourselves.”
Common Cause filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission and U.S. Department of Justice, accusing Rock — real name Robert Ritchie — of selling political merchandise and accepting financial contributions for an election campaign, while not registering his candidacy.
“Regardless of whether Kid Rock says he’s only exploring candidacy, he’s selling ‘Kid Rock for Senate’ merchandise and is a candidate under the law. This is campaign finance law 101,” said Paul S. Ryan, Common Cause’s vice president for policy and litigation.
“Given the activities we’ve documented in the complaint, he can’t reasonably claim to be merely testing the waters of candidacy and thus exempt from candidate filing requirements,” Ryan said. “He is a candidate and is obligated to abide by all the rules and make the same disclosures required of everyone else running for federal office.”
Rock had been reportedly floated as a possible Senate candidate in Michigan during the state’s Republican Party convention in February. In July, he announced the launch of a campaign website: kidrockforsenate.com.
Days later, the 46-year-old appeared to confirm his Senate candidacy, saying he planned to release new music during his campaign, similar to how politicians release books during their own campaigns.
Early polling conducted in July found the Romeo, Michigan-born musician with a slight edge over incumbent Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and with a double-digit lead over his closest Republican rivals.
After blasting “fake news” in his blog post Friday, Rock wished his fans a happy Labor Day weekend.
“Everyone else, Have a great Labor Day (I will be spending mine WORKING in one of the greatest cities in America – Grand Rapids, Michigan!!) Rock on,” he wrote.
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter: @JeromeEHudson
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