I just called J.D. Hayworth and Jon Kyle's office. The worker in Kyles office had heard it as well. Will let them know.
Needless to say, I am not calling McCain!
FYI, I was awaiting my Swift book from B&N here in Scottsdale which was supposedly gonna be in on 8/16 but evidently they didn't get enough so now I'm awaiting a new shipment in a couple of days. The clerk told me they had a waiting list and the book was on its fourth printing already. I expected the usual liberal book-seller disdain, but instead she seemed kinda awed and amazed.
Gives me hope, after all.
I called McCain from Alabama and asked them to not say anything about the new ad.
I remember a Senate obstruction over the nomination of Weintraub. McCain wanted her. She was the Democrat's choice, led by Daschle. McCain joined the dems in demanding her confirmation.
So far the FEC has refused to do anything about the 527's. So far the only 527's to do any major advertising are ones tied to the dems.
It'll be interesting to see if they hold to their "standards" now that the dems have complained...
By my count there are four Democrats, one question mark and one Republican.
This could go badly.
FEC:
Chairman Bradley A. Smith
Bradley A. Smith was nominated to the Federal Election Commission by President William Clinton on February 9, 2000, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 24, 2000.
Vice Chair Ellen L. Weintraub
Ellen Weintraub received a recess appointment to the Federal Election Commission on December 6, 2002, and took office on December 9, 2002. She was renominated by President George W. Bush on January 9, 2003, and confirmed by unanimous consent of the United States Senate on March 18, 2003.
Commissioner David M. Mason
David M. Mason was nominated to the Federal Election Commission by President William Clinton on March 4, 1998 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on July 30, 1998. He currently is a member of the Commission’s Litigation Committee.
Commissioner Danny Lee McDonald
Commissioner McDonald, a Democrat, originally was nominated to the Federal Election Commission by President Ronald Reagan in December 1981, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in July 1982. He served as FEC Chairman in 1983, 1989, 1995, and 2001, and previously has served as Vice Chairman in 1982, 1988, 1994, and 2000.
Commissioner Scott E. Thomas
Commissioner Thomas began his service at the FEC as a legal intern during the summer of 1975. The Commission had just opened its doors in the wake of the Watergate scandal and related congressional hearings. Upon graduating from law school in 1977, Mr. Thomas worked on the FEC’s legal staff, eventually serving as an Assistant General Counsel in the Enforcement Division. In 1983, he became Executive Assistant to then Commissioner Tom Harris, a Democrat and one of the original FEC commissioners.
In 1986, with Commissioner Harris retiring, President Reagan appointed Mr. Thomas to the remainder a six-year term. He was reappointed in 1991 by President Bush, and reappointed again by President Clinton in 1997.
Michael E. Toner Commissioner
Michael E. Toner was nominated to the Federal Election Commission by President George W. Bush on March 4, 2002 and appointed on March 29, 2002. Mr. Toner was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 18, 2003.
http://www.fec.gov/members.htm
MCCAIN: FEC MUST DO ITS JOB ON 527S TOMORROW
For Immediate Release
Wednesday, Aug 18, 2004
U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) released the following statement again calling for the Federal Election Commission to end the illegal use of soft money in federal elections by 527 groups:
“The Federal Election Commission has one last chance on Thursday to act responsibly and adopt regulations to prevent 527 groups from illegally spending soft money to influence federal elections.
“To date, a majority of FEC Commissioners, led by Chairman Brad Smith and Vice Chair Ellen Weintraub, have turned their back on the problems with 527 groups, ignored the nation's campaign finance laws and undermined the interests and rights of the American people.
“This kind of irresponsible conduct is contrary to law and cannot be allowed to continue. Commissioners Michael Toner and Scott Thomas put forward a bipartisan proposal to address the problems with 527 groups last May and have done so again. I continue to support their efforts to address this critical issue.
“Some Commissioners claimed earlier this year that they did not want to ‘change the rules’ in the middle of an election. While I think that argument is wrong-headed and legally unsupportable, the FEC General Counsel's current proposals before the Commission would not take effect until after the 2004 election. Accordingly, that excuse for FECdelay is no longer available.
“There is no conceivable justification for the FEC to fail to act on Thursday to make clear that 527 groups who are out to influence federal elections must comply with federal campaign finance rules.
“The proposal put forward by three obstructionist Commissioners yesterday, Commissioners Smith, Weintraub and David Mason, is a travesty. They would have the FEC continue to ignore the central legal question before the FEC--what groups qualify under existing law as federal political committees, and must therefore register and use hard money for their political activities.
“The FEC has had this question before it for over three years, and it is at the heart of the 527 issue. The law and binding Supreme Court precedent are indisputable--groups whose ‘major purpose’ is to influence federal elections must register as federal political committees and comply with federal campaign finance laws, including the restrictions on the contributions they can receive.
“For these three Commissioners to refuse yet again to define when a group has to register as a federal political committee is an abdication of their sworn responsibilities, and makes a mockery of the campaign finance laws. I hope they will come to their senses and do their jobs, out of embarrassment at their failure to be responsible public officials so far, if for no other reason.”
-end-
http://mccain.senate.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=NewsCenter.ViewPressRelease&Content_id=1306
This on Weintraub. This was Daschle and the Dems choice and McCain joined them in holding up Bush appointments until they confirmed Weintraub.
Now, the Majority Leader has an ally in stopping Bush nominations: Republican Sen. John McCain. Late Monday, the Arizona senator and former presidential candidate sent a letter to Daschle and Minority Leader Trent Lott demanding a hold on all nominations until the appointment of a woman named Ellen Weintraub, who is the Democratic choice for a spot on the Federal Election Commission. McCain has been angered by FEC actions which he believes will dilute some of the provisions of the McCain-Feingold campaign-finance-reform bill. While several Republicans, including Sen. Mitch McConnell, oppose Weintraub, Democrats, along with McCain, believe that Weintraub, who is married to a key aide to campaign-finance cosponsor Sen. Russell Feingold, will support stricter enforcement of the new law.
http://www.nationalreview.com/york/york062502.asp