Posted on 09/20/2007 4:17:02 PM PDT by wagglebee
St. Petersburg, FL(LifeNews.com) -- The former husband of Terri Schiavo has decided to close down the political action committee he created to go after pro-life lawmakers who sided with Terri's family in their efforts to save her life. The decision comes after several run-ins with the Federal Election Commission for problematic reports.
After ordering her painful two-week-long starvation and dehydration death in March 2005, Michael Schiavo created the PAC to target pro-life lawmakers who tried to stop him from killing her.
Schiavo says on the group's web site that the PAC limited his ability to speak out about his viewpoint on Terri's death and that he doesn't like asking for money for the political group to continue.
"After nearly three years, it’s clear that I can remain engaged in the political process and social debate and in fact do more – speak out more often and tackle related issues –without the legal constraints of a PAC," he explained.
"Traveling around the country, making political donations and keeping up with the required legal paperwork takes funds," he said. "But to keep the process moving we have to keep asking for money."
Schiavo claims the PAC was a success at ousting more than a dozen pro-life members of Congress even though it only contributed to a handful of candidates because of poor funding.
"It worked" he said of the PAC, adding "more than 20 members of Congress who supported 'Terri’s Law' are not in Washington today."
Michael created TerriPAC with his brother Brian Schiavo and, since its creation, it has frequently run afoul of the FEC by failing to file its campaign finance reports on time or include all of the necessary information.
The commission fined the PAC $1,350 in July and threatened an investigation over repeated failures to properly file reports about its fundraising and spending.
Although the political action committee paid the fine, the FEC is again going after the group for filing incomplete financial reports.
The agency sent TerriPAC a letter on August 10 concerning its April report and it requests a response with more accurate information by September 10. The FEC tells the PAC that a failure to respond will invite "an audit or enforcement action."
According to the FEC letter, TerriPAC failed to itemize all contributions greater than $200, did not adequately detail its expenses on polling and research and whether they were done for specific candidates, and did not specific whether some fundraising was conducted for the PAC or for a specific candidate.
"Adequate responses must be received by the [FEC] on or before the due date noted above to be taken into consideration in determining whether audit action will be initiated," the letter says.
TerriPAC filed a July quarterly report saying it has $35,353.75 on hand and that it took in $2150.01 over the last quarter.
While Schiavo has engaged in politics, Terri's parents and family have worked full-time for their foundation which seeks to help disabled patients and their families obtain appropriate health care and treatment.
Related web sites:
Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation - http://www.terrisfight.org
Pro-Life Ping
Ping
Translation: they spent all their money
The guy's obviously got a problem with honesty. Mikey lied, Terri died. Mikey lied, his PAC died.
Looks to me as though Mike isn’t getting enough donations because people just don’t like a murderer.
He’s an obnoxious jerk and his brother a jerk too.
There are plenty of obnoxious jerks out there, Mikey is a murderer and his brother is an accomplice.
Murderer
Looks like Mikey is going to have some time to kill. I wouldn’t want to be in Jodi’s shoes.
Gee he had so much success too. He did an appearance on behalf of Ned Lamont for US senator here. He did great, huh? Ha ha.
“According to the FEC letter, TerriPAC failed to itemize all contributions greater than $200”
Even I would have known to do that. He forgot to itemize his larger contributions?
I guess it’s a little harder to cook the books when the government is looking over your shoulder.
Congratulations. May God have mercy.
He probably got tired of politicians running away shrieking in horror when he approached them.
Michael Schiavo and George Felos would have been shoo-ins to play the creepy husband and his even creepier lawyer in the Lifetime movie about that case except for the fact that, well, they actually were the creepy husband and his even creepier lawyer.
I agree. It's the eyes, the dead eyes.
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