Comedy Central’s Colbert Has Questions For FEC

WASHINGTON (AP) — Comedy Central’s tongue-in-check commentator Stephen Colbert is expected to raise serious questions at next week’s meeting of the Federal Election Commission.

“The Colbert Report” star is launching a political action committee, Colbert Super Pac, which will allow him to raise unlimited amounts of money from corporations, unions and individuals so he can support causes and candidates heading toward the 2012 elections.

When the FEC meets on June 30, Colbert plans to ask whether airtime and other costs associated with his show would need to be publicly disclosed as in-kind contributions from Comedy Central’s parent company, Viacom Inc., when he talks about Colbert Super PAC on the show itself.

“The Colbert Report” has lampooned campaign finance rules in the wake of a Supreme Court that paved the way for super PACs.