FLASHBACK 2010: Biden 2008 presidential campaign penalized $219,000 [kickbacks]

Reuters ^ | 07/17/2010

[Fedora]

Vice President Joe Biden’s 2008 presidential campaign has been ordered to pay a $219,000 penalty for improperly accepting a discounted private plane flight and taking individual campaign contributions above the legal limit, according to the Federal Election Commission. . .

The audit showed that Biden’s campaign accepted an improper corporate contribution -- round-trip flights for three people between New Hampshire and Iowa on a private airplane in June 2007. The audit did not identify the three people.

Biden’s campaign understated the value of the flights, reimbursing a company called GEH Air Transportation at too low a rate, according to the FEC audit.

The FEC said Biden’s campaign should have paid $34,800 for the flights. It said that by failing to pay a charter flight rate as required, the campaign received from GEH an improper contribution of $26,889 -- the $34,800 owed for the flights, minus the $7,911 actually paid.

Politico reported that government records show GEH is owned by a New York hedge fund called the Clinton Group that has been implicated, but not charged, by New York state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo in a pension fund kickback investigation.

The FEC audit also faulted Biden’s campaign regarding $106,000 in contributions from individuals that exceeded the $2,300 maximum per election set out by U.S. election law.

The FEC's findings are posted on the Internet here.

[Fedora]

The Clinton Group, a hedge fund apparently not named for the Clintons, and GEH Air Transportation, named for George Ester Hall, have a history of regulatory issues. In 2005, they hired lobbying firm Glover Park Group (GPG), a consulting firm formed by former Clinton/Gore administration members which plays all sides of the political fence. Glover Park Group managing director Liz Allen served as spokesperson for VP Biden and as deputy White House communications director for Obama, and was tapped in August to be the Biden campaign's communications director.

[spetznaz]

I love that these stories are in media sources the Left cannot ignore. Eg, this one, although an older story, is still valid and (more importantly) is from Reuters. There is a story today in the WallStreet Journal on the issues stemming from Hunter Biden’s laptop, and the Journal clearly states that they are matters Joe Biden needs to address (even if he was to win the election). That is a good thing, because while it may be easy to ignore some blog, and the Left may even turn up their noses to Hannity and Fox, they unfortunately cannot do the same for Reuters and the Journal. This is a force function that will MAKE them have to raise it as a question, and Joe Biden will need to come up with answers.

[ronnie raygun]

Seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, were reporting responsibly and we are fair and balanced. Biden bought a milk shake and payed for it with campaign contributions