McCain Relying on Loopholes to Fund Campaign Outside of Public Finance Rules

[bigtree]

OCTOBER 20, 2008, 9:12 P.M. ET


When he accepted $84.1 million in public funding for his campaign, McCain agreed to not raise or spend any other money. But the law allows him to create what's called a "compliance fund" to pay for legal fees associated with complying with campaign finance rules.

Both President George W. Bush and John Kerry created similar funds in 2004. But Sen. McCain is using his to an unprecedented degree. In 2004, Messrs. Bush and Kerry each spent about $2 million from their funds before Election Day.

On Monday night, Sen. McCain reported spending $2.4 million in September alone. In September 2004, both candidates spent less than $500,000.

The spending, which is entirely within the law, is just one of a number of ways that Sen. McCain has been able to spend and raise money while staying within the government's requirements.

While he's technically not allowed to accept campaign cash, his Web site directs supporters to a fund-raising committee that sends money to the Republican National Committee and a number of state parties in swing states around the country. That money will be used on his behalf.

The compliance fund is allowed to pay up to 5% of the cost of advertising to compensate for the few seconds of time devoted to the disclose statement required by law, when Sen. McCain says "I'm John McCain and I approve this message."

Sen. McCain raised $6.2 million for his fund in September, bringing the total so far this year to $22.7 million, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission on Monday.


read: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122455082328052539.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

[merh]

1. You have to remember, his legal fund has been used to defend

Palin or rather to obstruct the investigation, to file suits to try to stop the legislative committees investigation and to fund the lawyers giving all that bad advice.

He better hold on to some of it - looks like his folks may need legal counsel to answer to charges which could be filed against them.

Chief Alaska Trooper says potential witness tampering in Troopergate "serious"
State Legislator Follows Up On Trooper Letter To Call for Independent Investigator

Today an Alaska legislator called on the State's Attorney General to appoint an independent investigator to look into possible criminal witness tampering by McCain-Palin campaign staff in Alaska. Rep. Gara's call came at the suggestion of the Director of the Alaska State Troopers, who called the potential of witness tampering matter "serious."

Director of the State Troopers, Colonel Audie Holloway, suggested in his letter that the state call on the State Troopers to hire an independent investigator. The letters from Rep. Gara, and from the State Troopers are attached.

Over the past two months McCain-Palin campaign staff tried to stop the Alaska legislature's bi-partisan Troopergate investigation, which recently concluded with a report that that state's ethics law was broken. See Michael Isakoff, Newsweek, "Can He Stop Troopergate?" (Sept. 16, 2008). "Until Senator McCain sent campaign staff up here on August 29, everyone, including the Governor, agreed the Legislature's investigation was proper. After the McCain staffers arrived, people who were willing to testify starting violating their subpoenas. It's not rocket science that someone worked to change their minds, and that's a crime under Alaska law," said Rep. Gara.

http://alaskareport.com/news98/x61686_alaska_troopers_2929292.htm