Posted on 4/17/2003, 1:02:38 AM by Marianne
WASHINGTON - Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., will pay a $130,000 fine plus make refunds to some contributors as a result of a settlement he made with the Federal Election Commission, which was fund-raising investigating irregularities in his 1998 campaign, the senator's office announced Tuesday.
Schumer spokesman Phil Singer, who announced the settlement, said the fines resulted from technical errors.
"The most common example of the errors," Singer said, "was when a donor contributed $2,000 and failed to declare that $1,000 went to the primary election and $1,000 went to the general. Another example was when a husband and wife contributed using one check and failed to specify that they were jointly contributing."
The FEC made no official announcement.
Originally, FEC investigators alleged that Schumer also transferred funds from his House campaign treasury to his Senate campaign without stipulating the source of each donation, as required by federal election law.
The FEC's audit also found that the campaign made a "material misstatement" by understating by $171,000 the amount of cash on hand as of Dec. 31, 1998.
In addition, the commission recommended that Schumer return to contributors $854,000 of the $17 million he received for his Senate campaign.
Schumer's office did not immediately say how much would be returned to donors.
"These are violations that are so technical, the FEC repealed them last year," Singer said. "None of the contributions came from prohibited sources like corporations or foreign nationals. We regret any bookkeeping errors that were made."
Singer said the FEC had repeatedly asked Congress to eliminate the requirement that contributors specify whether their donations were going to the primary or the general election. That change was made in the Campaign Finance Reform Act that took effect Nov. 5.
For his 2004 campaign, Schumer has received $14.8 million, according to his campaign's FEC filing. Democratic Party sources said Schumer's total is more than any senator seeking re-election in 2004.
In the period ending Dec. 31, Schumer's $13.6 million was roughly double the second-highest total, about $6.5 million raised by Sen. Richard C. Shelby, R-Ala.
"Sen. Schumer believes in following the Boy Scouts' motto: "Be prepared,' " Singer said. Schumer has not officially announced whether he will seek a second term. He has no officially declared challenger.
Schumer spent $16.7 million in his winning 1998 bid against Republican incumbent Alfonse M. D'Amato.
Technical errors - like forgetting to disguise illegal donors contributions before the books were audited by the FEC.
come on, Chuckie - ya gots ta get those contributions hidden BEFORE the audit next time...duh....
Kind of like Nancy 2PAC Pelosi having 2 PACs. Not much ever came of that, by the way.
Schumer's office did not immediately say how much would be returned to donors.
He won't return a dime. $854,000 minus a $130,000 fine nets him $724,000 in illegal contributions. Business as usual.
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