Did Rand Paul Break Senate Rules at His Campaign Kickoff?

A video produced to kickoff Sen. Rand Paul’s presidential campaign may have run afoul of Senate rules designed to separate official government resources from electioneering.

The April 5 video, released two days before Paul announced his presidential bid in Louisville, includes a clip of the Kentucky Republican on the Senate floor during the nearly 13-hour filibuster in 2013 in which he temporarily blocked the John Brennan nomination for CIA director over criticism of drone warfare. Using the footage, contained in a Fox News package on the filibuster, appears to violate Senate guidelines on the use of video footage of Senate, an issue first flagged by a Democratic operative speaking to TIME.

“The use of any tape duplication of radio or television coverage of the proceedings of the Senate for political campaign purposes is strictly prohibited,” the Senate Manual states. Jason Abel, an attorney for Steptoe & Johnson and former chief counsel to Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer on the Rules & Administration Committee, told TIME that the video contradicts a rule that prohibits the use of television coverage on the Senate floor for political campaign purposes.

“As a general matter, floor proceedings should not be used for any campaign purposes, even if it is footage from a news outlet,” he said. “The thinking behind this is any official’s actions or official resources should not be used for campaign purposes. The rules look at floor proceedings as official actions.”

A spokesman for the Democratic minority on the Rules committee told TIME that “after reviewing the information, it appears to be a violation of the Senate rules.” Republicans and Paul’s campaign argue that the use of the video is acceptable, but did not explain their rationale.

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http://time.com/3815522/rand-paul-senate-rules/