Democrats Seek FEC Investigation of McCain Financing
WASHINGTON — The national Democratic party wants campaign finance regulators to investigate whether Sen. John McCain would violate money-in-politics laws by withdrawing from the primary election’s public finance system, filing an official complaint Monday with the Federal Election Commission.
McCain, who had been entitled to $5.8 million in federal funds for the primary, has decided to bypass the system so he can avoid spending limits between now and the GOP’s national convention in September.
Click here to read the full complaint from the Democratic National Committee (.pdf).
FEC Chairman David Mason notified McCain last week that he can only withdraw from public financing if he answers questions about a campaign loan and obtains approval from four members of the six-member commission. Such approval is doubtful in the short term because the commission has four vacancies and cannot convene a quorum.
“John McCain poses as a reformer but seems to think reforms apply to everyone but him,” Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said Sunday.
Part of the issue centers on a loan McCain obtained late last year. The loan was not directly secured by McCain’s potential access to public funds. But his agreement with the bank required him to reapply for public funds if he lost early primary contests and to use that money as collateral.
McCain’s lawyer, former FEC Chairman Trevor Potter, has said McCain did not encumber any money that he would have received from the federal treasury.
McCain and Potter have said he was entitled to withdraw without FEC approval and have cited as examples Dean and Democrat Dick Gephardt, both of whom withdrew from public financing during the 2004 presidential primary.
“Howard Dean’s hypocrisy is breathtaking, given that in 2003 he withdrew from the matching funds system in exactly the same way John McCain is doing today,” McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said Sunday.
DNC spokeswoman Stacie Paxton said Dean, unlike McCain, took out no loan that raised questions about his use of potential public funds.
If McCain were prohibited from withdrawing from public financing, he would be severely limited in his campaign spending for the next six months. Under campaign finance rules, he would be allowed to spend only $54 million; as of the end of January, his campaign had already spent nearly $50 million.
The democrats should really be wondering where all of Obama’s money is coming from.
I am troubled by the racist and hateful tone of many of the respondents with reagrd to this issue. Senator McCain must be held to the highest of standards with reagards to campaign finance since he was a chief proponent of the laws regarding this issue.
His involvement with the Keating Five scandal should force supporters to do their homework before they cast their ballots.
Obama is a true Christian and Patriot. He is the type of leader we need now more than ever. A review of the scary high level of vitriol in the previous remarks proves that the GOP is sadly out of touch with our history and our future.
God bless us everyone!
Where does the hipocracy stop, who cares about the finance of the individuals as long as they do not use tax payers funds, I have not seen any picture of McCain dressed up in any clothes other than his own and beside as others before me have done, I hasten to remind everyone of the 5 million dollar loan I guess if you waste tax payer’s money it is ok huh? There should be one and only one concern on the minds of the people is who can keep us safe I wonder about all this change to what and to echo one of the ads I viewed this morning is the sky going to open up, light come down and are chiors of celestrial beings going to start singing, and all will be perfect and we will know what this change is. There is a chance the change could be the wearing of robes and women having to cover up when they are in public, their right to vote being taken away. them being arrested and struip searched because they were with an unrelated man in a public place make no mistake this type of thinking is out there be ware and
be careful of change, look for someone who is proven and whose family is native and has been native born.
I’m curious as to who is actually donating all the funds to canidates on the world wide web. Is there a system in place to receive only funds from individuals who are Americans and eligible to vote. Or are these funds that are received are from around the world from other than individuals who are not eligible to vote in our elections?
Kathy Kauwell
Niceville, FL
And here I am again writing under Hunters name. Whats wrong with your software Fox News. Fix it or get off the web.
Whoever you are at fox news you are leaving random Names and Email addresses in this reply form. So I can write anything I want under someone elses name. Dirty Dog that I am.
all you re puke lickins are funny.How could any american vote for a repukelickin after the bush failure?Are you people insane? It is time for a change.I don’t know about you,but as i see it,this has been the worst president in history. mccain took 1 to many beatings in that prison camp.he is a wacko. so a repukelickin as next president? lol get real. america and the world can’t afford it.
Whoever you are at fox news you are leaving random Names and Email addresses in this reply form. So I can write anything I want under someone elses name. Dirty Dog that I am.
Tom Carrolls right those dems did it again.
Go Mac
it is not surprising news at all. the dems are known for such underhanded tactics. they do the same things, and when a repub does it then they cry foul. sorta we’re able to do whatever the heck we want, but you’re not allowed to. the dems will try and do any dirty tactics they can think of to get what they want, they have little concern for the truth.
Tom Carrols right those dems did it again.
Go Mac