Dems Announce Federal Complaint Against Arnold, McCain

Comments (14)

By Michael R. Blood, The Associated Press

Published: March 4, 2006

LOS ANGELES—The California Democratic Party said Friday it will ask government regulators to investigate Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sen. John McCain for allegedly violating campaign-finance law.

The allegations center around a scheduled March 20 fundraiser in Beverly Hills, in which donors have been asked to contribute up to $100,000 for Schwarzenegger and the state Republican Party.

McCain, R-Ariz., is the featured speaker.

Katie Levinson, a spokeswoman for the governor’s campaign, called the complaint “nothing more than frivolous nonsense.” Trevor Potter, a former Federal Election Commission chairman who advises McCain, said the senator “is in full compliance with federal law.”

At issue is whether McCain’s appearance runs afoul of restrictions on federal officeholders taking part in events that solicit political funds. Ironically, McCain is being accused of violating a law he helped write.

The complaint, to be filed Monday with the FEC in Washington, charges that McCain and Schwarzenegger “are soliciting soft money from prohibited sources and in excess of the federal contribution limits.”

The event invitation includes a disclaimer that says Schwarzenegger’s campaign and the state party are raising the money, not McCain, and that the senator “is not soliciting individual funds beyond federal limit, and is not soliciting funds from corporations or labor unions.”

But the Democrats allege the wording is misleading, and the sums sought by the governor’s campaign far exceed permissible levels at an event where a federal officeholder is appearing. It accuses the governor of “aiding and abetting Senator McCain in soliciting soft money contributions in violation of federal law.”

FEC complaints can take months _ and sometimes years _ to resolve. It wasn’t immediately clear what, if any, impact it could have on the event.

Potter said the invitation’s disclaimer “makes it clear that ... the solicitation for funds is coming from the Governor and the state party, not from Senator McCain.”

“Anyone may file a baseless FEC complaint for political purposes,” Potter added.

"If the DEMS want to whine about 100G plate dinners....it's probably because of the menue they served.
Short of that.......pfffffffffft.

100G dinner?? For 100g a plate,they better be doing one HELLUVA service besides feeding someone."
-> Posted by Leo of Sacramento / Mar 06, 2006

"Andrew: Oh maybe the Demo's should be looking into the Rob Reiner's preschool ads that he used 23 million of tax payers money to run. AND paid 230 million in public relations and ad contracts to help create the commission and run the ads. Guess that's not on the Demo's "plate". Why if Bush could've done an illegal wiretap there, who knows!"
-> Posted by jesse of sacramento / Mar 06, 2006

"Andrew: Yes, Bush ordered wiretaps on International calls, where do you think Terrorists are calling from and to? If Clinton had dealt with this problem of Ladden and Saddam while in Office we wouldn't be here. He could have gone into Iraq during the Gulf war but NO he stopped for oil deals! How many bombings by Terorists were done here while Clinton was in Office, and what did he do? Nothing!"
-> Posted by jesse of sacramento / Mar 06, 2006

"Andrew: Illegal war? We were bombed by Terrorists! We didn't take over the Country, we went in to fight Terrorists. We could easily have bombed the whole Country and took the oil! Warrantless wiretaps, HELLO that decision was made again by Clinton. Bush utilized it to find Terrorists in this Country."
-> Posted by jesse of sacramento / Mar 06, 2006

"Eee Gads! It's an illegal war, Bush and his cronies, no blood for oil, warrantless wiretaps, and all other liberal fairytales, blah, blah, blah!"
-> Posted by Andrew / Mar 05, 2006

"I guess that Federal Law was overlooked when Clinton was in Office renting out the Lincoln room to the highest celebrity bidder. Not to mention basically selling his votes (I'll vote for it, if you vote Demo) to all bidders. If Arnie needs lessons on corrupton, I'm sure Boxer or Feinstein can give him pointers! You notice no one is opposed to him doing the $100,000 dinner, just that Mcclain will be a Speaker and the misleading wording. Right."
-> Posted by jesse of sacramento / Mar 05, 2006

"Yea sure, it's great when Teacher's Union put up 550 million to oppose Special Election issues, didn't see a lot of Demo's yelling foul then, other than Arnold spent 75 million on a Special Election. And yes Ice Box, this has nothing to do with a FEDERAL election rule, as this is a State Candidate. Gees talk about cronyism."
-> Posted by jesse of sacramento / Mar 05, 2006

"I think it is time the politicians be looked at more from the public eye. They are really getting over us, i say this if they are not doing anything for us get there a@@ out of office, put someone in that position that will work for the american people."
-> Posted by semaj / Mar 05, 2006

"Maybe the wording in this article is clumsey and I don't get it, but what does this event have to do with FEDERAL Election fundraising? Sure McCain is there, but nobody is even claiming it is going to McCain or the National Republican organization."
-> Posted by Ice Box / Mar 05, 2006

"McCain is such a fraud, pretending to be for campaign finance refore and now trying this end-around for Arnold. He likes people to think he's a moderate, but he's just another Bush extremist, proudly and loudly supporting Bush's S.S. scam, the immoral lie-based invasion of Iraq, and illegal warrantless spying on Americans.

Watch out America, Bush once told us he was a moderate, don't get sucked in again."
-> Posted by angie / Mar 05, 2006

"You know what at least the democrats are doin something right this right if u cant see that the president and every single politican we elect is not doing things for us they are doing things for them!"
-> Posted by Adoree Guardiola / Mar 05, 2006

"Its a good thing because even I can see that there not on the up and up.Way to go Democrats good job"
-> Posted by Adoree Guardiola / Mar 05, 2006

"I'm sorry why don't the Demo's just hold their own $100,000 a plate fundraiser dinner, not soliciting funds from corporations or labor unions of course....oh yea, no one would come.
Leigh, I don't think the President is doing a lot of fundraisers, he's not running again. And he certainly didn't help Arnie when asked!"
-> Posted by jesse of sacramento / Mar 04, 2006

"I think it's time the politicians quit watching each other, and started looking at what their President and his cohorts are getting away with."
-> Posted by Leigh Severns / Mar 04, 2006