Posted on 06/29/2007 7:48:12 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) may be violating Federal Election Commission (FEC) laws by failing to report funds raised in the second quarter, which ends tomorrow — giving his probable presidential campaign a one-month fundraising advantage over his rivals in the third quarter.
Republican or Democratic rivals could file a complaint against Thompson if he enters the 2008 presidential race and it becomes apparent that he spent the month of June campaigning rather than wrestling with the decision to run.
Thompson is operating under the “testing the waters” clause of FEC laws, allowing him to raise money, travel and conduct polling to determine whether a bid is feasible. If he were to start campaigning, he officially would become a candidate, subject to filing requirements.
The law, however, is vague when it comes to the difference between testing the waters and all-out campaigning.
Those testing the waters are forbidden from referring to themselves as candidates, advertising or trying to get on a ballot.
Perhaps more importantly, the laws forbid such a person from “rais[ing] more money than what is reasonably needed to test the waters or amass funds (seed money) to be used after candidacy is established.”
Thompson attended at least one $2,300 fundraiser in Nashville this week, and as The Hill reported earlier this month, 100 of his supporters were asked to raise a total of about $4.7 million.
The Hill reported last week that Thompson has hired a Midwest/Northeast finance director, a move that could be seen as indicating he has made up his mind.
Thompson has been careful to say publicly that he is testing the waters, adding in Tennessee that those waters are “pretty warm,” according to reports.
And his campaign website is paid for by “Friends of Fred, Inc.” instead of something like “Fred 2008” or “Thompson for President.”
“One can’t help but see that Thompson again might be hearing the call to serve,” the website reads. “As he discussed less than six months ago, a door is opening and this time Fred Dalton Thompson may lead all of America through it.”
One Republican strategist and attorney said Thompson has been “amassing a lot of money, hiring staff and traveling to primary states … all of which is indicative of an ongoing campaign, not deciding whether or not to run.”
The operative added that Thompson’s actions of the last month are “inconsistent with the testing-the-waters phase and more like a candidate.”
A spokeswoman for the watchdog group Common Cause said, “If he intends to run he ought to just announce and get it over with,” adding that Thompson is being “coy” and not adhering to the “spirit” of the testing-the-waters phase.
While Thompson and his small staff have been careful about the way they describe the former senator’s actions, his supporters have not.
Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey (R) was quoted this week referring to Thompson as the “only conservative candidate.”
Thompson spokesman Mark Corallo took issue with anonymous critics, but said such complaints are wholly without merit.
“All of the Thompson testing-the-waters committee activities have been and continue to be performed pursuant to these regulations which have been on the books for decades,” Corallo said in an e-mail. “I suppose those legal ignoramuses (or is it ignorami?) forgot to check the rules. They could have made a quick call to the [former New York City Mayor Rudy] Giuliani campaign which started out as a testing-the-waters committee this cycle.”
Indeed, most of the current campaigns started out with testing-the-waters phases or exploratory committees. Some continue to operate under the latter distinction, but they are required to report their fundraising totals.
If or when Thompson decides to get into the race officially, rival campaigns or citizens can file a complaint with the FEC, which would investigate whether or not Thompson was spending this time campaigning instead of testing the waters.
The complaint would have precedent. The FEC found evangelist Pat Robertson guilty of such an infraction in the 1988 race and required he pay a $25,000 fine. But the decision was made after the election was over.
Because of the lengthy process involved and the size of the fine, which is paltry compared to the lofty sums most campaigns are raising now, Thompson may not face much trouble if he were accused of skirting the law.
“I think the deterrent, frankly, is him being called on it,” a Republican strategist said.
Everyone: Lighten up! Didn’t we learn anything this last month? United we control this country; separated we can be played for fools by the elites and the Rockefeller Republicans!
Fred Thompson supports attrition, as has been answered several times.
“Hunter is a tad more conservative.”
Not when it comes to government spending.
Fred Thompson believes in securing our borders and enforcing current laws. He believes in removing the enticements that get illegal aliens here, like access to social programs and lax policies towards employers who hire illegal aliens.
Fred understands that the American public doesn’t trust it’s leaders to secure the border. Most importantly, he understands WHY:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cN3z4mqRn7I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H3zhZu0S5w
http://jebstersr.freepgs.com/MLFAudio/FredThompson051807.wma
http://abcradionetworks.com/article.asp?id=409614&SPID=15663
Candidates like McCain have been campaigning and fundraising for years. Even IF Thompson pulled in a little extra funds due to excitement over his potential candidacy, it doesn’t give him any sort of advantage over the candidates who have been in full campaigning and fundraising mode for some time already. Starting this late he’s already at a disadvantage.
"It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is."
I’d bet Fred has dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s. This is just whining.
The rest is just sour grapes...
I personally think he was originally talking about Democrats. But Fred supporters have this kind of lore about the word gnat now, when a supporter of another candidate puts out some uncomfortable news about Fred, its as though they have a fear of him.
For example I could make a thread about this easily to debunk little attack piece on Duncan Hunter and how he lied and made a shady deal about his Alpine Home. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20061008-9999-1n8duncan.html
And you could call me a Duncan Hunter Gnat, and you would be right. Get it?
The current candidates have nothing to fear but Fear, itself. Of course, even Fear is afraid of Fred Thompson.
BTW, I’m more conservative than most of us on several issues.
But my main concern is that we have a stronger defense. That includes refusing to build enemy nuclear arsenals by giving so much of our manufacturing base, engineering education and control over our economy to them.
Fred Thompson plans to make up for his financial disadvantages by being a very likable Presidential candidate to many people during his entire run for the Presidency. Fred Thompson already has way too much attention put upon him for his present financial disadvantages to continue to be a serious problem for too long. I wouldn’t worry that much about Fred Thompson’s present financial disadvantages.
China FRed? What do you mean by that?
Gnats are annoying, like the stories that try to destroy Fred. Thats what Fred was talking about. Mainly he called the Gnats the people who would dig out any kind of story to trash him.
Kind of what I did with Duncan Hunter. I mean did he lie about the size of his house so he could get cheaper taxes? I don’t think he did. It doesn’t make me a Democrat or Libertarian to question Duncan on this does it?
Thats how Hunter people talk about Fred. For example, people will say, Fred is a Member of CFR so I can’t trust him. However they have no quotes or any statements Fred has made about CFR, or how Fred feels about the organization, its all guilty by association. Or other trivial stuff like his dating habbits, or the fact he got a divorce. Or distort facts about his history of lobbying.
LOL--not quite...
The real Left, the Dems, love that the GOP is fractured. It gives them a leg up in ‘08. Whoever wins the nomination, the Party better support the ticket from top to bottom or ‘08 will be a monsoon of liberal wins.
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