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McCain is breaking the campaign finance law....DNC suing him. How dare he attack Obama?

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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-19-08 07:37 PM
Original message
McCain is breaking the campaign finance law....DNC suing him. How dare he attack Obama?
I guess this subject is just way too complicated for the media to understand. I don't think John McCain even understands that he broke the rules by already opting in and now opting out after getting a loan approved because he opted in before.

The utterly simplistic minds on the media just can not read the lawsuit that has been filed by the DNC. They probably won't even understand this post. Their minds are filled with talking points taken from their owners. A few manage to get a lot of truth out...very few.

Here is a simple form of McCain's lawbreaking. This is from the DNC's February complaint against McCain's lawbreaking.

Democratic Party Files Complaint Against McCain for Ignoring FEC Law

This is a simple explanation.

In order to receive matching funds, John McCain signed a binding agreement with the FEC to accept spending limits and to abide by the conditions of receiving those funds. The FEC makes clear that any request to withdraw from the agreement must be granted by the FEC. In other words, McCain can't just unilaterally withdraw. FEC Chairman David Mason made this clear in a letter to McCain advising him that the law requires the FEC to approve his request to withdraw from his contract.

According to past Commission rulings, the McCain campaign would not be allowed to withdraw from matching funds because it has already violated a key condition for being let out of the program - pledging matching funds as collateral for a private loan. McCain obtained a $4 million line of credit -- drew $2,971,697 from it - and documents make clear that the promise of public financing was used to secure his loan.



Pretty complicated, isn't it.

If that is not clear, there is the full document at the link.

This email from Howard Dean was mailed out this week. He was asking us to sign our names to the complaint.

John McCain is Breaking the Law

I wrote to you in late February asking that you sign on in support of a complaint we made to the Federal Election Commission regarding John McCain.

The complaint was fairly simple. John McCain decided to break a promise he made to the American people -- he said that he would accept federal matching funds for his primary campaign, but then backed out of the pledge after he started receiving staggering amounts of lobbyist and special interest money. We asked the FEC to enforce the agreement he had made.

When they didn't act on our complaint -- one that thousands of Americans signed on to support -- we sued them. Recently, a federal judge said that we had to give the FEC at least 120 days to act.

Their time runs out in one week, on June 24.


You can put pressure on John McCain to honor his agreement with the FEC by signing your support -- we need 100,000 Americans to stand up and demand that he keep the promise that he made the American people. If we're ever going to have truly clean campaigns, it's going to take all of us fighting for them.

Click the link to add your name:

http://www.democrats.org/FECcomplaint

I know that lawsuits, FEC rulings, and the intricacies of campaign finance law can be a little dry.

But consider this: while both Senator Obama's campaign and the DNC have unilaterally rejected lobbyist and special interest money, John McCain's campaign is blatantly breaking campaign finance law to raise as much of it as they can.

John McCain -- the self-branded "maverick reformer" -- is the exactly the same kind of Republican we've seen for decades.
He breaks the rules to fit his own interests, and he does it at the expense of the American people and the integrity of the electoral process.

He knew exactly what he was doing when he signed the pledge with the FEC, because that used the money he was promised in return as collateral on a loan.


That is just simply way way too complicated for our simple minded media talking heads. It is just so much easier not to talk about the fact that John McCain broke the law. Too much trouble to explain it to their even more dullwitted viewers.

The Democrats are expected to approve enough for a quorum at the FEC very soon. The DNC suit is waiting to be heard.






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Catherina Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-19-08 07:39 PM
Response to Original message
1. This is the first I hear of this but it's done. I just signed and forwarded
Hey,

I wanted to let you know that I signed the DNC's petition opposing John McCain's attempt to game the public financing system -- which you and I both pay into -- to bolster his faltering campaign last year.

Will you join me?

http://www.democrats.org/FECcomplaint

Thanks!

http://www.democrats.org/FECcomplaint
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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-19-08 07:40 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. Good for you. The media is not rushing to cover it. Dean has mentioned it on TV...
but it was never covered any further.
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Catherina Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-19-08 07:47 PM
Response to Reply #2
3. I count on people like you to get my news. I can barely watch Olberman
because he's too glitzy for me. Does the DU Activist Corps still exist?

Thank you for all your work MF. It's worth GOLD!
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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-19-08 07:49 PM
Response to Reply #3
5. I missed his show tonight.. He covered Obama opting out, I think.
But not the lawsuit I hear. Not sure.
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Indenturedebtor Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-19-08 07:47 PM
Response to Reply #2
4. Yeah I wonder why they won't cover it :sarcasm:
Stupid propaganda blowhards shilling for the man.
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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-19-08 07:59 PM
Response to Reply #4
6. I hope this gets attention. No one seems to have heard of it.
:shrug:
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George II Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 11:07 AM
Response to Reply #2
22. I read about it a week or so ago.
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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-19-08 08:36 PM
Response to Original message
7. Wow, dropping fast. Kick so more can sign the complaint.
Maybe the talking heads might discover this lawsuit.
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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-19-08 09:09 PM
Response to Original message
8. Just did a search on McCain, public financing. Not a single word about the DNC complaint.
Zilch, zero, nothing. Isn't it amazing?
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windbreeze Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-19-08 09:23 PM
Response to Original message
9. signed/forwarded k/r n/t
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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-19-08 11:41 PM
Response to Reply #9
11. Thanks.
:hi:
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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-19-08 09:37 PM
Response to Original message
10. CBS covered the lawsuit a couple of days ago...I missed it.
DNC Plans Lawsuit Against McCain On Public Financing

The Democratic National Committee announced that it intends to file a lawsuit in U.S. District Court to try to compel the Federal Election Commission to examine whether John McCain broke election laws when his campaign rejected public fundraising, the Associated Press reports.

When McCain turned down a taxpayer-funded $5.8 million, his campaign was able to skirt spending limits that would have been in place until the Republican Party convention.

The issue in question is a $4 million line of credit obtained by the McCain campaign last year, which the DNC has argued was a violation of federal regulations. The McCain campaign and its bankers have denied that claim.

The lawsuit is a follow-up to a complaint the DNC filed with the FEC in February, which was not acted upon, since four FEC nominees were waiting Senate confirmation and the body lacked a quorum.

*Update: Later on Tuesday, RNC chief counsel Sean Cairncross called the lawsuit "meritless," the AP reports. Cairncross said that McCain was entitled to withdraw from the public finance system because he didn't take public funds during the primary season.


No, Sean, he has to have written permission from the FEC to withdraw from the system.

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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 12:16 AM
Response to Original message
12. Update: Josh Marshall covering this via TPM video.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/200902.php

I don't think he mentions the lawsuit by the DNC....but he is covering the law breaking.
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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 09:37 AM
Response to Original message
13. Did McCain decide to opt in again? Is it because of the lawsuit no media mentions?
Edited on Fri Jun-20-08 09:40 AM by madfloridian
I guess it is too complicated for their simple minds.

I gather McCain has decided to take public financing? Is that because of this lawsuit by the DNC and no one is talking about?

He is opting in because he can't opt out?
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annabanana Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 09:39 AM
Response to Original message
14. These are the facts. It's a pity that they are hard to
"soundbite".
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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 10:13 AM
Response to Reply #14
15. Too complicated.
Even at DU. Look how much I had to kick my post cause it dropped so fast. Boring topic, takes concentration.
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seasat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 10:23 AM
Response to Original message
16. McCain was also allowed on primary ballots due to public financing
Edited on Fri Jun-20-08 10:24 AM by seasat
He didn't have to spend the money to get petition signatures and large filing fees to qualify for the primary ballots in some state because he was on public financing. Howard Dean estimated that in 2004 when McCain was not on public financing during the primary, McCain spent about 3 million getting on primary ballots.
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JeffR Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 10:26 AM
Response to Original message
17. K & R!
:kick:

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UndertheOcean Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 10:26 AM
Response to Original message
18. K&R
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Time for change Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 10:38 AM
Response to Original message
19. Keith talked about McCain's hypocrisy on this issue last night on Countdown
He devoted quite a bit of time to it.
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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 10:44 AM
Response to Reply #19
20. Did he mention the DNC lawsuit? I missed the show last night.
I heard he talked about the subject, but this suit has to my knowledge never been mentioned on TV. It is probably why he just now decided to opt in again...and to make Obama look bad for opting out.

It is like some topics are not to be mentioned on TV. :shrug:
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Time for change Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 01:11 PM
Response to Reply #20
29. I believe he did, but I'm not sure
He talked about several issues pertaining to the subject, ridiculed Stephanopolous and Gibson for considering only the superficial aspects of the issue, and had Howard Fineman on to talk some more about it.
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George II Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 02:37 PM
Response to Reply #20
31. I don't think Olbermann talked much about McCain's participation
The purpose of his story was to point out the folly of McCain claiming that Obama "went back on his word" - KO rightfully pointed out that Obama was never IN the program and never said he would opt in or out. Look for follow ups from KO in the next few days.

One of the reasons the media didn't say much yet is because the lawsuit, although announced, couldn't be filed until a certain date (some time this week, I think) after a particular deadline had passed. I read about it somewhere a week or two ago, but didn't fret the details figuring we'd hear more about it when the actual lawsuit was filed.
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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 03:55 PM
Response to Reply #31
32. Here are the details:
"The complaint was fairly simple. John McCain decided to break a promise he made to the American people -- he said that he would accept federal matching funds for his primary campaign, but then backed out of the pledge after he started receiving staggering amounts of lobbyist and special interest money. We asked the FEC to enforce the agreement he had made.

When they didn't act on our complaint -- one that thousands of Americans signed on to support -- we sued them. Recently, a federal judge said that we had to give the FEC at least 120 days to act.

Their time runs out in one week, on June 24."


The suit was filed.
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George II Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 05:32 PM
Response to Reply #32
34. Thanks. That's the "deadline" or waiting period I was trying to recall - official next Tue.!!
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George II Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 11:06 AM
Response to Original message
21. On THIS I agree with you 100% - very good post and research, thanks.
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mmm413 Donating Member (158 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 11:09 AM
Response to Original message
23. Thanks for simplifying this for the "media."
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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 11:14 AM
Response to Reply #23
24. Yes, the word "media" belongs in quotation marks.
Especially cable news networks. I have been unable to watch them much for a while. Their thoughts are indeed simple.
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kentuck Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 11:19 AM
Response to Original message
25. This is a bigger story than the attacks on Obama today...
Obama did not break the law. He understands, just as John Kerry now understands, that the 527's spent over $400 million dollars on attack ads the last election. We all remember the Swift boat attacks. Just as Obama said, the Repubs have learned how to game this system. Only a fool would go along with that unless there was no other choice. Thank God that Obama now has another choice, thanks to all the courageous Americans that are supporting him with their donations.
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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 11:27 PM
Response to Reply #25
35. Someone had a cartoon here about it. Link.
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Jackpine Radical Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 11:22 AM
Response to Original message
26. You are far too generous in attributing the failure to report stories like this
to the simple-mindedness of the press. Personally, I see it as just another part of a willful and coordinated effort to control the information available to the public in order to cause them to once again vote against their own interests.

Never attribute to mere stupidity things that are better explained by evil intent.
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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 11:59 AM
Response to Reply #26
27. Well, you are right. I admit it. And today our own party told us to
eff off...that they did not need us.

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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 12:41 PM
Response to Original message
28. Haven't watched cable news today....anything yet?
:sarcasm:
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Willo Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 01:56 PM
Response to Original message
30. Done K&R n/t
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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Jun-20-08 05:22 PM
Response to Reply #30
33. Thanks.
It does keep dropping.

People should be angry about how McCain is crowing about Obama, when he himself actually broke the law.
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madfloridian Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Mon Jun-23-08 04:42 PM
Response to Original message
36. Kick so more can sign the complaint.
.
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DeeDeeNY Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Thu Jun-26-08 07:04 AM
Response to Original message
37. I only hear on mainstream news that Obama has "flip-flopped" on financing
Nothing about McCain breaking the law.



:banghead:
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