Many of you will have seen coverage of McCain’s use of federal matching funds to secure a loan for his campaign prior to his win in New Hampshire. He promised the originating bank that if he didn’t come within 10% of winning, he would re-enter the federal finance system, giving them a secured interest in those funds as collateral for the million-dollar loan. The FEC says that McCain’s use of those funds to secure other financing binds him to the program, and that he must obey the restrictions that come with that money.
McCain’s response to the FEC was basically, "Meh. Try and make me." The DNC is filing a complaint with the FEC, and you can help. Here’s what Chairman Howard Dean had to say:
"There was a lot of talk last week about John McCain’s blatant hypocrisy on ethics and integrity in Washington.
Here we go again.
McCain
is now breaking the law by ignoring the campaign spending restrictions
for the Republican primary that came when he asked for federal matching
funds — funds he used as collateral on a loan that helped keep his
campaign going.But now that the lobbyist and special interest
money has started pouring into his campaign, he’s trying to back out of
the promise he made just a few months ago. They’re feeding so much cash
into his bank account, this "reformer" wants nothing to do with federal
campaign finance laws anymore.That’s why today, we’re filing
a formal complaint with the Federal Election Commission demanding that
John McCain be held to the campaign finance laws. Trying to back out
shows a total lack of integrity and honesty — he made a deal with the
American people to to abide by the law, and in return, he was
guaranteed taxpayer money that he used to back a loan."
Good luck with that, Howard.
I’m beginning to see a pattern of disrespect for campaign finance laws among Republican candidates. I know, I know. I must be slow on the uptake, or have a very trusting nature not to have seen it before this.
I complained about Tim Bee’s Schrödinger’s campaign (in September, and October, and finally in January when he got around to announcing – conveniently within a year of the end of his term, so he didn’t have to resign under Arizona law) and asked the Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard to look into the matter, to no avail.
Now McCain has his own novel theory of how to skirt the law to get his piece of cake on loan and and eat it, too.
These Republicans are eroding respect for campaign finance laws by finding any ambiguity or unanticipated maneuver and using such blind spots to their own political advantage. And the lesson seems to be sinking in.
Now Kris Mayes, the ACC member who is ‘exploring’ a bid to replace Dick Renzi when he finally perp walks, seems to be heading down the same Schrödinger’s campaign trail that Tim Bee blazed. Certainly, the Arizona Democratic Party suspects so. But you can justifiably ignore what one party says about the other… can’t you?
She is going all out in organizing, putting in place her team, fund-raising, and pressing the flesh, yet still claims she is just exploring a bid. You can practically hear the words, "…just like Tim" hovering over her campaign. With Renzi heading for the dock, I can’t fault her strategic choice to ensure that any Republican is viable in that district following Renzi’s criminal enterprises before giving up the plum appointment that her old boss, Governor Janet Napolitano, secured for her – but I can, and will, question her fidelity to Arizona’s constitution and election laws.
Ultimately she’s going to have to say ‘in’ or ‘out’ and it needs to be soon. If she hits the next FEC reporting period and forms a Tim-Bee-style qualified candidate committee (i.e. "I am forming a candidate’s committee, but I’m really just exploring. And I’ll be obeying the FEC rules that only candidates have to follow, but I’m not yet a candidate. Really. I’m not.") and reports her finances for that candidate committee, as only a candidate (but not a water-testing citizen) is obligated to do – again, like Tim did – but she still hasn’t resigned her ACC seat, then she’s making campaign finance chicanery official Republican policy, if it’s not already.
And who can fault her, really? She’s only following the example of our esteemed Arizona Senate President, Tim Bee, and now the distinguished presumptive Republican Presidential nominee, Senator John McCain. Surely one can safely emulate the behavior of such eminent men, who are entrusted with enormous legal power and discretion, and who set the tone and norms of political life in Arizona and beyond?
When those who make the laws are themselves lawless, what hope is there for our Republic, or for the rule of law on which our democracy rests?