Posted on 08/08/2007 7:57:29 AM PDT by SmithL
California supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama are using a controversial political committee to rake in donations in excess of what is allowed under tough federal campaign finance laws.
Exploiting a legal loophole, the Obama supporters have set up a so-called 527 group - an unregulated committee of the type deployed by Republican Swift Boat Veterans in the 2004 presidential campaign - as a centerpiece of political fundraising for the California Democratic primary in February.
So far, wealthy donors have written checks in the amounts of $90,000 and $50,000 to "Vote Hope 2008," the Obama supporters' 527 group, federal records show. The group is led by San Francisco lawyer Steve Phillips, son-in-law of wealthy financier and Democratic political donor Herbert Sandler.
Named for the section of the U.S. tax code that regulates these groups - and independent of the input or control of political candidates - 527 groups aren't subject to the Federal Election Commission's legal limit on contributions of $2,300 per donor per election.
The same Obama supporters have also set up a political action committee - the type of fund-raising device used by special-interest groups to funnel donations to multiple candidates - and used it to raise money for Obama's California campaign, records show. The political action committee also is called "Vote Hope 2008."
The Vote Hope Web site says their goal is to "deliver California for Barack Obama" by mobilizing 500,000 Democrats to cast absentee ballots in the primary. Spokeswoman Jenifer Ancona said Vote Hope is independent of Obama's campaign, and complies with all laws. Together, the political action committee and the 527 group hope to raise and spend $3 million on what Ancona called "a positive campaign, a grassroots campaign to increase voter turnout."
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Don’t worry. McCain-Feingold took care of this sort of thing.
As I remember it, the money collected by the Swifties was used against JFnK not for Bush.
Where the hell are our 527’s????
Amazing. They had all kinds of 527's that spent all kinds of money on the Dem side and the only one they mention is the Swifties.
Everybody jumped ship over immigration.
Well they better jump back because I don't want to be ruled by the Witch with her socialized medicine.
The fool that wrote this piece used the Swiftboat 529 as the example of those terrible 529's - I guess he forgot about Soros who gave tens of millions more to his several 529's. So called reporters should be made to read - and understand - Orwell's "Animal Farm."
As ususual, our Congress at it’s finest. The skill of cheating and stealing to win elections.
Funny you should mention that. Yesterday, I had counsel with a doctor who is going to do a triple bypass operation on my 86 year old father tomorrow morning. He told me he (my dad) was lucky to be an American because if he lived in Canada they would have given him a nitro pill and sent him home. He would have never even had a Catherization.
By the way, he told me to remember if Hillary gets in next year this could all go away.
Prayers for my dad.
Prayers for your Dad, and the Country.
You got it.
ping
IIRC, total 527 spending in 2004 went Dem by something like 6 or 8 to 1.
I was thinking 9 to 1 Dem, but I did not have anything handy to back it up
As awful as this looks, I’m glad he’s raising money. He has to go head to head with the Hill and her unlimited coffers.
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