UNITED STATES - MARCH 11: Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, speaks to the media at the National Press Club about the House 2014 midterm elections on Tuesday, March 10, 2014. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

WASHINGTON -- An ethics watchdog filed a formal request Wednesday for an investigation of National Republican Campaign Committee Chairman Rep. Greg Walden (Ore.), citing his team's use of phony websites.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington -- citing numerous reports of 18 GOP webpages that masqueraded as sites belonging to Democrats -- is asking the Office of Congressional Ethics to investigate whether or not Walden broke federal law or House rules by tricking Democratic supporters into donating to the GOP.

CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan thinks he did.

"Rep. Walden and the NRCC have become online scam artists, tricking people out of their campaign donations," Sloan said in a statement. "Rep. Walden's support for such activity violates House ethics rules, and OCE needs to act quickly to protect the House's credibility.”

An NRCC spokeswoman did not immediately answer a request for comment.

Read the complaint here and here.