WASHINGTON—It seems like a simple enough question: Does Rep. Lacy Clay Jr., D-St. Louis, have a leadership PAC?

Such political action committees, set up separately from re-election accounts, are a popular tool politicians use to rake in extra campaign cash that they then dole out to their colleagues–usually the party’s most vulnerable incumbents or top challengers.

There’s nothing illegal about them, but critics say the accounts are a way for elected officials to get around campaign finance limits, wring more money out of special interests, and have an extra political fund to dip into for travel, consultants and other items that fuel their own ambitions. (They can’t use the money for their own re-elections, though.)

Plenty of other local lawmakers have them, including all four bi-state area senators. So it wouldn’t be surprising if Clay decided he wanted one too.

What is surprising is that Clay’s folks don’t seem to know if he has one or not. And they’re apparently a little testy, or worse, about the whole issue.

When a watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, called Michelle Clay to ask if Rep. Clay had one, the congressman’s sister—who also serves as his political director—first said no. Then Michelle Clay told Allison McCabe, a CREW staffer, that even if Rep. Clay did have a leadership PAC, she wouldn’t disclose that information to CREW, according to a blog McCabe posted about the indicent.

To be sure, lawmakers can set up such PACs very quietly–without clearly identifying their affiliation. (Sometimes, the PAC names make a connection obvious, or at least provide a good hint. Sen. Claire McCaskill’s is called MACPAC; Christopher “Kit” Bond’s is called KITPAC.)

Michelle Clay’s non-answer to CREW came after a mini-tirade in response to McCabe’s inquiries, according McCabe’s blog. For McCabe’s full account, click here. It’s under the headline “Fighting Transparency.”

In the meantime, Steven Engelhardt, Clay’s spokesman, told us that he thought his boss had set up a leadership PAC, but he wasn’t sure and would double check with Michelle Clay. We waited nearly the entire day for an answer but haven’t heard back. We’ll update when we know more.