"Uh-oh" Controversy over Elton John fundraiser for Hillary Clinton (a.k.a. "The Hildebeast")

The Washington Times ^ | 27 Mar 08 | John McCaslin

[seanmerc]

Are Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Elton John breaking U.S. laws by allowing the British pop singer, a foreign national, to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Mrs. Clinton's presidential campaign by performing a concert on her behalf?

That's the question Inside the Beltway put to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) yesterday, which does not rule out the possibility.

First, some background supplied by the FEC: The goal of the 1966 Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) was to "minimize foreign intervention" in U.S. elections by establishing a series of limitations on foreign nationals. In 1974, the prohibition was incorporated into the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), giving the FEC jurisdiction over its enforcement and interpretation.

According to the FEC, FECA "prohibits any foreign national from contributing, donating or spending funds in connection with any federal, state, or local election in the United States, either directly or indirectly. It is also unlawful to help foreign nationals violate that ban or to solicit, receive or accept contributions or donations from them. Persons who knowingly and willfully engage in these activities may be subject to fines and/or imprisonment."

The question now is whether Elton John is contributing "indirectly" to Mrs. Clinton's campaign and whether the candidate herself has sought to "solicit, receive or accept contributions or donations" from a foreign national, which is unlawful.

That said, the act does provide a volunteer "exemption" as long as the foreign national performing a service is not compensated by anyone. But this exemption gets tricky and might not apply to Elton John.

[doug from upland]

Very familiar.

[BubbaBasher]

Bump

[doug from upland]

A performer can volunteer services. In the case of the Hollywood Gala Salute for President William Jefferson Clinton, both Cher and Diana Ross were directly solicited by Hillary. That was illegal. Peter was directly solicited by Hillary and her agents to pay for it. That was all hard money and illegal.

[doug from upland]

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(PAUL v CLINTON) Senator Clinton, just one more question, ma'am - FACSIMILE QUESTION No. 4
Peter Paul, documents, photos, video ^ | 9-19-07 | dfu

Posted on 09/19/2007 3:51:11 PM PDT by doug from upland

FReepers, this is the 4th in a series of facsimile transmissions to the office of Senator Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton. I am hoping she will take the opportunity to clear up some questions and give us her side of the story. Any response from her will be published here.

No. 1 - Lying Howard Wolfson
No. 2 - False Reporting about Stan Lee
No. 3 - Bearing False Witness

[Interesting Times]

Elton on the lam? Cue the theme music...

Have mercy! On the criminaaaaal! Who is running from the law!